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 Snake removal. If a snake gets into a house or
other building, several methods are available to
remove it:
Place damp burlap sacks on the floor
and cover them with dry sacks. Check
them every few hours to see if the
snake has crawled underneath. The
snake and bags can be lifted with a
shovel and taken outside. The snake can
be killed or released.
Rat glue boards will capture all but the
largest snakes. The glue boards should
be tied down or attached to a plywood
base. Place the glue boards along wall
and floor junctions. Captured snakes
can be killed, or they may be released.
Before release, pour vegetable oil over
dietary selections from rodents, insects, and wild fruit,
the snake and glue.
to garden crops, garbage, and lawn insects and locate
Expanded trigger rat traps set in pairs
their habitat closer to humans. Another major problem
along wall and floor junctions can kill
in some areas of the country is the transmission of
smaller snakes.
rabies.
A granular snake repellent can keep some species
of snakes away from homes, camp sites, garages, and
Raccoon
yards. Containing sulfur and naphthalene, the repellent
is applied in a narrow band around the area to be
Raccoons are common throughout North America.
protected. Sulfur/naphthalene repellents are most
They are easy to recognize with their black face mask
effective against rattlesnakes, coral snakes, garter
and black, brown, and white ringed bushy tail. They
snakes, and pythons.
have long thick fur with a thin muzzle and pointed
ears. Their feet are well adapted to climbing. They are
large animals, weighing between 10 and 25 pounds.
SKUNKS, RACCOONS, AND POSSUMS
These three vertebrates are considered together
because they are similar pests with similar
management and control recommendations.
Management of these animals almost always involves
exclusion and/or live trapping.
Skunks
There are two kinds of skunks that may become
pests, the striped skunk and the spotted skunk. The
striped skunk is about the size of a large house cat and
has two broad stripes running from the back of the
head to the large bushy tail. Spotted skunks are about
half that size, with four irregular stripes beginning
behind the eyes and below the ears.
Their senses of hearing, sight, and touch are well
Skunks are nocturnal. They do not hibernate, but
developed, while those of taste and smell are not.
may sleep through cold weather periods. They usually
They are commonly found near streams, lakes and
live in underground burrows, hollow logs, or rock
swamps, and often do quite well in suburban areas and
piles. They may decide to live under houses, sheds,
even in city parks. Raccoons den inside hollow trees
cabins, or storage buildings.
or logs, rock crevices, deserted buildings, culverts,
Of course, the main problem with skunks is their
storm sewers, chimneys, attics, and crawlspaces. More
than one den may be used.
stink. But they become "pests" when they change their
Module Three Chapter 5, Pg 8
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