EXTRAS
This opossum feels threatened by the dog, which did nothing more than sniff. When possums feel threatened they will roll over, close their eyes and pretend they are dead until they no longer feel threatened. This one is doing such a good job, even the back toes are curled up!
Close-up of above opossum. Notice how it curls up it's back toes!
Above photos courtesy of Brenda P.
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This skunk was chasing frogs during the night and fell into this deep window well. (Notice the dead frog in the center right hand corner just below the window.) The window well was 4 ½ to 5 feet deep. To get him out I had to lay on the ground and reach down with my cat grabbers and pick him up by the fur on his back. He was in a very angry mood by the time I got him in a cage trap. A neighbor's dog had found him and barked at him all morning, before I got there. This made the little guy squirt stick in the window well, which in turn made the home REEK of skunk. I took him out to Perry Lake Wilderness Area and released him. He was so excited when I got him out there, he was almost dancing.
The board was put there by the home owner in an attempt to let the skunk climb out on its own. This is the correct approach when trying it on your own. Give the skunk a safe way off the property, also. You don't want it falling back in, again.
This might have worked at this residence except for two reasons.
1. As you can see the board is about 1 foot below the edge of the window well. Even if the skunk made it to the top of the board, it still had a ways to go.
2. Skunks are not good climbers. The owner said that the skunk made it about halfway up the board and then fell back in. Using a board with strips of wood attached every few inches, like a ladder, helps to give the skunk a better chance of climbing out on it's own.
Cat grabbers have many uses.
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The above photos are looking up at the soffit area of a roof (the underside). This is the exterior damage done by a fox squirrel, the squirrel commonly found in the Topeka, Kansas area.
Once the squirrel(s) are inside, there is the possibility that they will chew on the electrical wiring and start a house fire. There is also a chance that the squirrel(s) will dig through the ceiling and enter the home. Once inside, terrible havoc can result!
The squirrel(s) must be trapped before the hole can be sealed. If the hole is sealed with the squirrel(s) inside, then the animal(s) will try digging out. If the animal cannot dig out and dies inside, then it will not only smell very bad, but increases the chance of disease. If it does dig out then it may dig into your home or it may dig another hole through the roof, which is another hole to have repaired.
Trapping is the best option in a case like this.
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This is a gray fox. They are a common fox found in Kansas and much of the U.S.A. This picture is an example of the gray foxes ability to climb trees. They are the only member of the canine family capable of climbing trees. The gray fox uses this method to hunt for prey and escape their enemies; coyotes, bobcats, red foxes and man.
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RABIES
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has some very useful information about rabies.
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The above photo is a coyote den. The dog standing on the den is a Labrador retriever. The dog is just to give you an idea of the size of the hole. It is about 12-14 inches in diameter.
This is a wider view of the coyote den. Notice the pile of dirt outside the den that the coyotes dug out.