Ringtail Relocation in Tucson: Meeting Arizona's State Animal and, its Shyest Desert Neighbor

Of all the animals I get called about here in the Sonoran Desert, the ringtail might be my favorite surprise. Most Tucsonans have lived here their whole lives and never laid eyes on one, and that makes sense. Ringtails are shy, they come out at night, and they are experts at staying out of sight. So when a homeowner calls me a little rattled because something with huge eyes and a long striped tail slipped through their attic, I completely understand the confusion. Let me tell you about these wonderful little animals and how I handle ringtail relocation in Tucson when one decides your home looks like a nice place to den.

What Is a Ringtail?

If you have found yourself wondering what is a ringtail, you are not alone. A ringtail (Bassariscus astutus) is a small, nocturnal mammal, and it is actually Arizona's official state mammal, a fun fact most people do not know. It is not a cat, even though a lot of old-timers call it a ringtail cat. It is a relative of the raccoon and the coatimundi, though much smaller, about the size of a slim housecat. You will notice its big, dark eyes made for seeing at night and its gorgeous tail: long, fluffy, and banded with black and white rings, often as long as the rest of its body.

Ringtails are gentle, secretive animals. They hunt at night and sleep tucked away during the day, which is exactly why so many people who share the desert with them have never once seen one. They really are one of the neatest animals the Sonoran Desert has to offer.

Where Ringtails Live Around Tucson

Out in the wild, ringtails love rocky country: canyon walls, boulder piles, cliff faces, and the brushy washes that run through so much of southern Arizona. They are phenomenal climbers, able to scramble up sheer rock and squeeze through gaps you would swear were too small for them, denning in rock crevices, hollow trees, and any snug nook they can find.

Here is the thing: an attic, a shed, or a quiet outbuilding looks an awful lot like a rock crevice to a ringtail. If your house backs up to a wash or sits near rocky desert and you leave a gap open, a ringtail may decide your attic is the perfect quiet den. That is usually when I get the call about a ringtail in my attic in Tucson.

How a Ringtail Ends Up in Your Attic

Ringtails want the same thing we all want in a home: a safe, quiet, out-of-the-weather spot to rest. Because they climb so well, a loose soffit, an open attic vent, or a gap where a pipe enters the wall is all the invitation they need.

The good news is that a ringtail is one of the best mousers in the desert. If one has moved into your outbuilding, it has probably been quietly thinning out the packrats and mice for you. Still, a wild animal in your attic is not something you want long-term, and that is where I come in.

Are Ringtails Dangerous? Not Really

I want to put your mind at ease here. Ringtails are generally harmless. They are not aggressive, they would much rather avoid you than tangle with you, and they are small, timid animals that mostly eat insects, rodents, and fruit.

That said, any wild animal in your home can become a nuisance. A ringtail can leave droppings in your insulation, make scratching and rustling noises at night, and get into places it should not be. Like any nuisance animal, it belongs out in the desert where it can thrive, not tucked into your attic. When a ringtail crosses that line from neat neighbor to houseguest, it is time to have it gently moved along.

Ringtails can climb almost anything

Gentle Guidance If You Think You Have a Ringtail

If you suspect a ringtail has moved in, the kindest thing you can do is stay calm and give it space. Do not try to corner it or grab it, since these animals are quick and a scared animal is a stressed animal-with sharp teeth. Just note where you are hearing the noises, then walk around your home during the day to spot any openings up high near the roofline.

Please do not seal a gap shut if you think an animal is still inside, since you could trap it in a wall or separate a mother from her young. The safest path is to have the ringtail caught and relocated first, then close up the entry points so nothing else wanders in.

Humane Ringtail Relocation in Tucson

As a licensed trapper, this is exactly the kind of work I love. When you call me about a ringtail, I come out, set a safe live trap, and catch the animal without hurting it. Then I relocate it alive to good wild habitat far from your home, where it can den in the rocks and washes the way it is meant to. No harm comes to the animal, and your home gets its peace and quiet back.

I have spent more than ten years humanely trapping and relocating nuisance wildlife all over Tucson and southern Arizona, from ringtails and packrats to bobcats, javelina, coatimundi and, snakes. My goal is always the same: catch the animal safely and give it a second chance.

Here is a male ringtail

So if you think you have a ringtail in your attic, shed, or outbuilding anywhere around Tucson, give me a call. I am always happy to help, and glad to tell you more about these amazing animals while I am at it.

Josh's Cell: 520-345-3814

1st Response Wildlife: Licensed trapping and relocation of nuisance wildlife.