Toronto is home to a wide variety of squirrel species. These little rodents are so common in the wildlife scene of the city that you commonly see them along tall establishments or dancing from one tree branch to another.
However, these squirrels don’t just entertain our eyes by running and bouncing around the yard. Sometimes, they go beyond that, invading homes in search for a safe place that will provide them shelter.
Even though the squirrel population in Toronto seems diverse, there are squirrel species that populate the vicinity. Knowing how to identify these squirrel species will help you deal with them properly and seek the right squirrel control services.
Eastern Grey Squirrels
The black and grey squirrels may look different, but they actually come from the same species. They only vary in coat color. Both these squirrels belong to the eastern grey squirrel family. You can easily identify them because their fur appears grey. However, in some cases, they turn brownish or black.
The tails of these creatures are long and bushy. They typically measure around 40 to 50 cm. In terms of food, they prefer to eat acorns because they can quickly process the proteins found in them. It is for that reason why we commonly see the eastern grey squirrels out and about our yards, particularly during the cold season.
Red Squirrels
Unlike the eastern grey squirrels, red squirrels are smaller. But when there are lots of them to deal with, their size won’t matter.
The red squirrels are easily distinguished because of the changes in their coat color that depends on the season. When it is warm, their fur turns reddish with patches of white on the belly. When the temperature drops, the white patch on their belly becomes grey.
In terms of tail size, the red squirrel’s tail only measures about 10 cm. Then again, don’t let its size fool you. Like other squirrel species in Toronto, red squirrels can invade your home if they feel it’s a great place to build a shelter.
Why Squirrels Love Toronto
Toronto is a favorite city for squirrels because everything they need to survive is here, including food. As long as they have access to tons of food supply, they can breed more often and give birth to bigger litters.
With the rising squirrel population in the city, the wildlife department of Toronto advises people to avoid feeding these creatures. Squirrels can find food on their own. Once they see a potential food source, chances are, you are helping increase their population.
What You Should Do
True, there are tons of wildlife species in Toronto. While show up in the public, others prefer to hide in the wilderness.
Now, if you suspect that the squirrel population in your area is becoming uncontrollable, whether it’s the red or eastern grey squirrel, seek help from wildlife removal service providers in Toronto area. They can identify what squirrel species you are dealing with and take appropriate actions to humanely and safely remove them. Just do not attempt to remove them on your own.
In August, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry will begin hand-dropping baits in selected cities and urban areas. Other than Toronto, they will also target other areas within the raccoon rabies control zone, such as Brantford, Burlington, Hamilton, Kitchener, and Niagara Falls.
In addition, an aircraft will be used to drop the vaccine baits across the eastern and southern part of Ontario, including Hamilton, Niagara Peninsula, and Stratford. By using an aircraft, it will be easier for crews to target forested and rural areas that are impossible to access by foot.
The Rabies Vaccine Baits
The rabies vaccine baits are easily recognizable because of their army-green colour and small size. They also come with a DO NOT EAT label and tons of free rabies details printed on them.
To make the government’s effort effective, the public is asked not to tamper and disturb the dropped baits. If possible, keep pets away from them, too. The vaccine is meant to keep foxes, raccoons, and skunks immunized from rabies.
Although exposure to these rabies vaccine baits is not harmful, pets that ingest these vaccines may experience an upset stomach. If your pet eats the bait, the government urges you to seek help from a veterinarian.
Serious Rabies Prevention Efforts
In 2016, there have been 288 confirmed rabies cases in Ontario alone. One special case involved a bat. In Hamilton, the recorded cases last year involved one red fox, one cat, two bats, 76 skunks, and 127 raccoons.
It is probably because of the alarming number of cases that the government is taking action against rabies. It is expected that they’ll wrap up their efforts in the late fall.
The little critter’s misadventure started last Monday, June 11, 2018, when it was stranded over the ledge of Town Square building.
Initial Help and Rescue Attempts
The maintenance workers of the building wanted to lure the raccoon to down by creating a 20-foot system of ropes and lumbers. However, instead of climbing down, it fled and started to make its way up to the concrete facade of the tower.
Passers-by started to gather around the streets to watch the heart-thumping action while rescuers from St. Paul’s animal control and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center of Minnesota made their way to the location.
While watching the little creature’s climb, a woman expressed her thoughts towards the incident. She said she’d be feel devastated if the raccoon fell. Another onlooker stated that if the raccoon is rescued, it would be a very good news story for the world.
How the Raccoon Made It Up the Building
Suzanne MacDonald, a raccoon behaviour expert, admitted she was very worried about the animal. She explained that raccoons don’t really think ahead. Hence, they don’t have a good instinct control. She added that the creature may not have realized what was in for it when it began to climb up.
Initial reports say that the raccoon went up to a lower part of the building in search for bird eggs. However, the workers who tried to help the creature down seemed to have scared it. That is the reason why it did what a raccoon is expected to do when in a stressful situation: it climbed.
An Instant Online Celebrity
The raccoon became an instant Internet sensation as videos and photos of it climbing up the tower made rounds on various social media channels. While some were cheering on the little creature on its every attempt to summit, others were hoping it was rescued as soon as possible.
Meanwhile, the workers inside the building can’t do anything about the situation. Since no windows and balconies can be opened, they just had to watch anxiously as the raccoon climbed and shared photos on social media to provide updates about the condition and the whereabouts of the creature.
Because of the incident, the hashtag #mprraccoon began to trend, attracting celebrities and famous personalities.
One is James Gunn, the director of the blockbuster film, Guardians of the Galaxy, which starred a smart raccoon. He said he will be donating $1,000 to the chosen charity of anyone who saves the raccoon.
Healthy and Safe
By Tuesday night, the poor raccoon was still on its way up. At the summit, the rescuers from St. Paul Animal Control already placed cat food and some traps, hoping to entice and guide the animal to safety.
It was already 3:30 AM, Wednesday, when the raccoon made it successfully and safely to the top of the tower. Rescuers immediately trapped the raccoon to safety. As soon as rescuers were convinced it was healthy, it was released back into the wild.
You can watch the full video of the incident here.
It is true that birds can easily capture your attention with their beautiful songs, but when they start taking over your homes, it’s another story. Once you notice that birds are starting to build nests in your outdoor area, you have to take action. Don’t wait for the situation to worsen. Not only will they block your ventilation system, they will also transmit harmful diseases.
One effective way to keep birds from nesting and roosting in your homes is to scare them away. That way, they won’t feel welcome. Below are some scare tactics you can use:
Plastic Owls and Fake Coyotes – Predators are among the many reasons why birds won’t make a nest in a certain place. So, why not create fake predators to prevent them from making a home in your own? Install plastic owls and fake coyotes within your area. Do not forget to move them around frequently so that birds will not think they are fake.
Noise Machines – A noisy environment doesn’t favor birds. For them, it makes them feel uncomfortable. But before you decide to install noisy machines around your home, make sure your neighbors are okay with it. In addition, you need to set it low enough so as not to disturb them.
2. Consider installing physical barriers.
One of the easiest ways to keep birds from building a nest at your roof or ledges is to install a physical barrier. Here are some physical bird barriers available today:
Bird Wires – Bird wires are like typical netting installations that utilize several poles to position wires along the ledges. The poles used often have varying height, which creates an uneven roosting place for birds.
Bird Netting – Bird nets are readily available in the hardware or in the local market. They are used to keep birds from certain areas that should be off limit to birds, such as the garden. These nets are not only effective at keeping birds at bay, they also repel other pesky critters, too!
Bird Spikes – Ideal for flat surfaces and building ledges, bird spikes can deter large bird species from building nests. Although they require regular cleaning once in a while, they are still opted by many homeowners.
3. Hang reflective bird diverters.
To keep birds from roosting in your perches, hang reflective bird diverters. If possible, these reflectors should mimic the eyes of any predator, such as owls and coyotes. As these diverters move and sway, birds should be scared, keeping them away from your porch.
In the past few days, a video has been making rounds online that showed a raccoon opening a raccoon-proof garbage bin in Toronto, Canada. This garbage bin has a circular lid on top that has to be turned to unlatch.
A local from Scarborough posted the video. According to him, he was alerted about the presence of the critter, hence the video. In less than 30 seconds, the raccoon had already successfully opened the bin, which is manufactured by Rehrig Pacific Company.
It was said that the raccoon might have been carefully observing a human on how to open the garbage bin. That is what makes raccoon cool. They learn and then adapt.
You have to do everything to keep your garbage bins secure until they will be picked up. If you have organic waste for disposal, keep them in the freezer first to somehow reduce the smell.
If the garbage can has to be placed outside, make sure you store it in a closed area, such as the garage, shed, or a wooden lock-box. Although bungee cords can be used to hold the can, just make sure you remove the cords in the morning so garbage collectors won’t think twice about picking it up.
2. Do not keep the cans outside overnight.
Because raccoons are nocturnal, it is not a good idea to put the garbage can outside overnight. You have to wait until the morning before you put out the can and prevent those raccoons from getting in.
3. Keep the garbage can clean.
In some cities that have a compost program, food wastes are often segregated in green bins. If you reside in a city that has this program, observe the rules.
It would also be great if you rinse all recyclable garbage before you put them in the bin. Unwashed garbage may only entice wildlife. Plus, it can hurt them. Raccoons and other wildlife may get their paws and heads stuck in broken bottles or pointed cans.
4. Put garbage bins off the ground.
If garbage bins are placed on the ground, raccoons can easily get into them. All they have to do is tip them over and then knock open the lid. If your bins have handles, you can simply hang them from a wall using a bungee cord or a bicycle hook.
Important Reminders
Raccoons are great climbers. As a matter of fact, they rarely get trapped inside garbage cans. However, if a raccoon is injured, there are chances when it gets trapped inside the bin. If you suspect a raccoon is in the garbage bin, leave it alone and call for help. SOS Wildlife Control is a reliable name to call.
On a Final Note
Yes, a raccoon can easily open a garbage bin. But, you can do something to keep it away from it. Be a responsible homeowner and observe humane ways to prevent raccoons from attacking the garbage can.
