| Wildlife FAQ's |
| Bats: I have a bat in my house, what should I do? If the bat came in contact with your living quarters or there was an possible exposure, immediately call your local Animal Control/Health Dept. If the bat is in non-living quarters (ex. basement), you can open a window, or door a crack and the bat should leave on its own. Geese: Geese have nested on my property and they're becoming a nuisance. What can I do? Geese are federally protected birds. Nests can only be removed by licensed companies. Please call the USDA Geese Control at (908)735-5654. They can instruct you on who to call. I have geese destroying or hanging around on my property. What can I do? Make sure that no one is feeding them. This will only encourage them to hang around even more. Geese hate overgrown grass. When grass is long, they're not able to see predators. Geese also can not tolerate methyl anthranilate, the common ingredient in grape soda. You can put it in areas where the geese frequent to keep them out. There is also a repellent called Rejex-It! which is a more concentrated formula of methyl anthranilate. It can be ordered by calling 1-800-503-5444. Geese will normally walk to a new area. A fence will usually keep them out, as they normally don't fly unless they need to. Putting up a fence will aid in keeping them out. Skunks: I have a skunk under my shed/deck. How do I get rid of it? Skunks will often make their homes under your deck or shed. There are several repellents that you can make at home to discourage them. Castor Oil formula: 1 cup castor oil, 1 cup liquid soap, 1 gallon of water- Mix the oil and soap together, then add to the water. Put in a spray bottle, and spray around the area. Cayenne pepper: Sprinkle around the area. Skunks don't like the smell of it, taste of it, or the heat that it gives off. You can also get synthetic fox or coyote urine from a garden supply store. Be sure to get synthetic though, the regular urine has a smell to us, where as the synthetic doesn't. It acts as a deterent because a fox or coyote is its natural predator. There is a skunk out during the daytime. Is it rabid? A skunk usually comes out at night, but you may see it out during the day because it's looking for food. Skunks can also get distemper which can give the appearance that they are rabid, because the animal becomes disoriented.If it appears to have something wrong with it, like falling over, call your local animal control. There is a skunk digging up my garden or lawn? What can I do to stop it? If a skunk is digging up your lawn, they're trying to get the grubs. If you treat your lawn with something to kill the grubs, the skunk will have no reason to dig anymore, as it can smell that there are no more grubs. If a skunk is digging up your garden, try using the repellents mentioned above. You should also put a chicken wire fence around your garden. Be sure to install the fence in a L-shape. Install the a portion of the fence parallel to the ground. Then install the remaining part perpendicular to the ground. The skunk will be blocked by the fence, but will try to dig under it. It will then hit the fencing installed in the ground which will deter it because it can't dig through it. How do I get rid of the odor from a skunk? Mix 1 qt. of 3% hydrogen peroxide with 1/4 cup of baking soda, and then add 1 teaspoon of any liquid soap. Solution can be used as a shampoo for your pet. Simply shampoo into fur, leaving on 3-5 minutes, and then rinsing. You can also put solution into a spray bottle, and spray where the odor is. Ducks: I have ducklings stuck in my pool, what should I do? Ducklings often get stuck in a pool because the water level is too low. The easiest way to help them get out is to raise the water level. You can also use a wooden board at a <45 degree angle for them to walk up. Make sure you put a wet towel on the board to help them get added traction. If this doesn't work, call your local animal control. Rabbits: I found a nest of baby bunnies in my yard. What should I do? The best thing to do is to leave them alone. Most people think that they have been abandoned by the mother because they haven't seen her. This is usually not the case. If you suspect that the mother has left them behind, or been killed, put yarn in an "X" across the nest (you can also sprinkle flour around the nest and check for footprints). If it has been moved (or if you see footprints), the mother is taking care of them. If the nest is undisturbed, call your local animal control. Woodchucks: A woodchuck is destroying my yard/garden. What can I do? The best thing to do to keep a woodchuck out of your garden (and yard) is to have a fence at least 4 feet high. Woodchucks have been known to bend or get over (or even under) those small garden fences. You should put a chicken wire fence around your garden. Be sure to install the fence in a L-shape. Install the a portion of the fence parallel to the ground. Then install the remaining part perpendicular to the ground. The woodchuck will be blocked by the fence, but will try to dig under it. It will then hit the fencing installed in the ground which will deter it because it can't dig through it. You can also try treating your lawn/garden with blood meal. Woodchucks don't like it (they're vegetarians), so they won't want to eat anything that tastes like it. Raccoons: A raccoon is out during the daytime. Does this mean it's rabid? No. Raccoons are considered to be nocturnal animals, but they will come out in the daytime. A mother raccoon will sometimes come out in the daytime for food. A juvenile raccoon may come out in the daytime to look for its mother or because its hungry. There are a few things to look for when its out. If it's able to climb trees, or got up on a roof, then it is probably not rabid. Rabies affects the motor functions, making it nearly impossible for it to climb. If it's stumbling around, falling over, or excessively aggressive (example: it's trying to charge people), call your local animal control. NEXT PAGE |