Urban Wildlife

Wild animals move into our homes because the continual encroachment of human development has destroyed their homes. Please keep this in mind when dealing with any uninvited wildlife guest and treat them with patience and compassion.

Raccoons most frequently seek out attics, garage rafters, crawl spaces or sun decks as isolated safe places to have their young. By mid-June, when the young are old enough to climb, the family will seek a den closer to a food source. When weaned the young will begin foraging. If you don't want them in your yard - remove any food. Don't put garage out until pick-up time. use bungee cord restraints on garbage can lids.
Canadian Wildlife Service Hinterland Who*s Who http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/ra ccoon/raccoon.html
California Wildlife Habitat http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/M153.ht ml

Skunks can be of great benefit to gardeners because they consume a variety of insects, grubs and gypsy moth caterpillars. If they do take up residence under a porch or garden shed, wait until around late June, then sprinkle a thin layer of flour around the hole and examine for tracks soon after dark. When you find tracks leading out, seal the hole with lumber, wire fencing or concrete. Skunks are diggers so you will have to extend your barrier 12-18 inches underground. Remember, skunks are peaceful animals that when disturbed, providing you don't overreact, will usually walk calmly away. Spraying is used only as a last resort when the animal feels seriously threatened.

The striped skunk Mephitis mephitis is one of the most useful small mammals that inhabit the mixed farmlands, grasslands, and forests of Canada. Unlike many other animals it has adapted well to the presence of humans.The skunk prefers open areas of mixed forests and grasslands and has very little fear of humans, so it has benefited from the new habitats created by the opening of the forests that accompanied settlement and agriculture.
Canadian Wildlife Service  http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/sskunk/skunk.html
California Wildlife Habitat http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/cwhr/M162.html

Rabbits(Eastern Cottontail) do not invade man's home but they can cause havoc with his garden. Bone meal, human hair and netting may help. Some people plant a special "bunnypatch" of dandelions, clover and greens. If the rest of the garden is screened, they will take the easiest route and eat freely from the patch.

These cottontails are active largely in the twilight hours and at night, when they venture to open pastures, meadows, or lawns to forage. They frequently live in the edges of towns and feed in gardens and flower beds. In the daytime they rest in beds in nearby thickets or in underground burrows and small culverts. The food is variable with the season. They feed on a variety of grasses and forbs but when such vegetation is scarce, they eat the twigs and bark of shrubs and small trees. These rabbits are not sociable and are seldom seen feeding together.

Squirrels sometimes seek out an attic as a safe location to have their young. But after about six weeks, when the young are able to leave the nest, the entire family will move to a summer nest in the trees. This is the time to repair attic openings to prevent a recurrence, since squirrels have two litters a year. Bone Meal fertilizer mixed with topsoil should put an end to garden excavations and baffles added to your bird feeder will prevent pilfering.

The eastern grey squirrel Sciurus carolinensis is the largest tree squirrel found in eastern Canada. It is predominantly a nut-eating species and its historic range coincided with the vast tracts of hardwood forests in eastern North America, in particular with oak and hickory trees. The squirrels have been introduced into city parks in western Canada. There is a thriving population in Vancouver's Stanley Park, introduced in 1914, and more recently animals have been released into parks in Victoria and Calgary.
Eastern grey squirrel http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/hww-fap/squirrel/squirrel.html
California Wildlife Habitat http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/cwhr/M076.html

Opossums are the least troublesome mammals but should they decide to den under a porch, they may make nocturnal raids on the compost heap or domestic pet dishes. They are, however, very wary and can be scared off quite easily by opening the nearest door.

The opossum is highly opportunistic, eating a wide variety of animal and vegetable foods. Carrion and insects are usually the principal foods, but fruits, berries and grains, green vegetation, earthworms, and fungi may also be important. Feeds on the ground or in shrubs and trees. The availability of food in winter is an important limiting factor.

California Wildlife Habitat http://www.dfg.ca.gov/whdab/cwhr/M001.html
Opossum Society of the United States http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/

Does the Animal Need to be Rescued?
The general rule of thumb is if you can approach the animal as though to make contact and the animal does not run, then something is wrong! Remember, too, it is far better for baby animals to be raised by their parents. Don't assume they have been abandoned until you have monitored the situation for some time - the parent could just be out foraging.

10 Golden Rules For Living with Wildlife
Keep these basic tips in mind:

1. Trapping adult animals during the birthing season has a devastating impact on the young which are then left to die. It is expensive and ineffectual for the homeowner as nature hates a vacuum and other animals will simply attempt to occupy the vacated space.

2. Prevention is the safest, less expensive and least traumatic method for handling wildlife problems so animal-proof your home before the critters move in.

3. Wild animals are attracted by food, so eliminate the attraction. Feed domestic pets indoors.

4. Do not encourage wildlife who do their foraging at night by leaving garbage or pet food outside, by not closing shed or garage doors, or by hand feeding.

5. Installing netting around the vegetable garden will discourage raccoons.

6. Keep branches pruned on any trees near the sides or roof of your house so that wildlife will not have a "ladder" onto your property.

7. Check at least once a year for any area needing repairs in your attic, chimney, exhaust vents, eaves and overhangs, etc. that could encourage animals to enter. Repair any weak spots immediately.

8. Erect a low voltage wire around swimming pools, fish ponds and hot tubs.

9. Keep all domestic pets in after dark.

10. REMEMBER - it is ILLEGAL to keep any wildlife without a valid permit.

From: http://www.geocities.com/felixkrt/critter.html