Ahhhh… the winter den… a softly lit, cozy room with a comfy reading chair, a warm blanket, and a cup of hot cocoa, coffee, or tea. These winter creature comforts differ a bit if you’re a small wild animal, but warmth is equally valued, and a winter den provided by a tree or other natural feature can be increasingly hard to find due to habitat loss and urbanization. As temps begin dropping, there’s more wildlife looking for warmth than there are … [Read more...]
Hearing Flying Squirrels in House?
Unlike the ubiquitous gray squirrel, flying squirrels are rarely seen, because they are usually out from after dusk until just before dawn, and they hang out high above our heads in the seed-bearing trees where they forage. Their favorites are beech, hickory, maple, oak, and poplar—the trees we love to plant in yards and neighborhood parks. This brings them close to the temptingly warm and available shelter attics and other denning areas our … [Read more...]
Havahart Traps and Other Live-catch Wildlife Traps
This article focuses on how to ensure live-catch traps work their best, both for resolving your situation and preventing, or at least minimizing, harm or stress for wildlife. Before attempting to trap any wild animal in or near your home, though, you need to check with your local humane society or state wildlife agency about pertinent laws for your area. Even more important—before resorting to obtaining a live-catch trap, such as one of the … [Read more...]
Flying Squirrels in Your Attic?
Flying squirrels are extremely acrobatic members of the squirrel family, gliding from tree to tree, making 90-degree turns mid-air, and landing with ease. What enables them to do these amazing things is a fleshy membrane of skin that extends from each wrist to each ankle, as well as a long, flattened tail for steering and balance. Though undeniably cute—and highly efficient as spore and seed dispersers—flying squirrels are not necessarily the … [Read more...]