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Sticky Situation
by Michele Dudas
A couple of weeks ago I answered a DFW Wildlife Hotline call about a bird in a really sticky situation. But, before I tell you about this bird I want you to imagine this:
You are going about the business of your life, grocery shopping, buying clothes, tidying up your house…you know, just general everyday stuff that keeps you up to speed in meeting your basic needs-food, water, shelter and space. There you are in your home, and all of the sudden you find your legs and arms completely stuck to a giant slab of glue. You can’t get yourself out of this situation, struggling only makes your sticky situation much worse. But, you keep on struggling, to the point of exhaustion, in the hope that somehow you will free yourself. You call out in distress to no avail. Nothing works, you are alone and affixed to the slab of glue. You languish and die slowly.
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Have I painted a really horrible picture? I hope so. And, I guess by now you’ve figured out that my hotline call was about a bird stuck to a glue trap. The little bird was a Carolina wren. Sweet, musical, curious little birds, those Carolina wrens. They are little, brown insect eating machines and learning of one stuck to a glue trap broke my heart. This is not the first time that I’ve had to deal with an animal affixed to a glue trap. There have been many others and it’s never pretty. Nor is it a desirable situation when non-target animals eat rat and mouse poison or ingest an animal that has eaten poison.
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Carolina Wren |
The glue traps that folks put out for mice and rats end up becoming torture chambers, not just for rodents, but for so many other animals as well. Birds, lizards, snakes, toads and frogs all become casualties in our battle against rodents.
Rodents Live Here Too
No one wants rodents in or around their home, but the truth of the matter is that wherever humans live, rodents (and other delightful pests like cockroaches), will follow. You can have the most wonderfully upscale home, live in the nicest neighborhood, and you will, at some point or another, find yourself under siege by pests. I’ve taken calls about rodent problems from all over North Texas. Examples: “We were sitting in the Jacuzzi last night and saw a huge rat on our roof.” And, “I went out to the garage and there were mice in the dog food.” Or, “I opened my dresser drawer and found a mouse nest.” Hmm, go figure! We’re supplying basic needs (food, water, shelter and space to reproduce), for rodents, and we wonder why we see them in or around our homes. We’ve got to learn to cope with this in more humane ways because the problem is not going away. As long as those basic needs can be met, the pests that we eliminate will be replaced by…more pests! There are, however, things we can do to minimize our contact with pest animal species.
A More Humane Solution: Don't Offer A "Welcome" Mat!
Mice and rats, along with cockroaches, are opportunists. What this means is these animals can take advantage of most any situation to “make a living.” Mice and rats eat a variety of foods; cockroaches eat just about anything, including any animal or human hair. By leaving pet food, human food, and water sources around, we attract animals and insects that we may not want to share our space with. At least half the pest battle is making your home less appealing to them. To make your home less appealing to pests try the following: |
- Do not feed your pets outside.
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If you must feed animals outside, leave only enough food for the animal to eat and remove leftovers before you go to bed.
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Do not leave water for your pets out over night. Cockroaches, by the way, usually come inside our homes looking for a water source. Nope, sorry folks, they are not “water bugs.” They are roaches, big and small, looking for water and food.
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Clean up fallen wild bird food. You are a rodent magnet if you don't.
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Use waste baskets and trash cans with snug-fitting covers.
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Buy a handheld, cordless vacuum (we call ours Big Red), to vacuum up those cookie and cracker crumbs. It's worth it!
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Field Mouse |
- Trim the shrubs around your house, and clean up leaves, debris, and wood piles. Exposing their pathways and access corridors will deter their use.
- Do you have piles of newspapers or bags of old clothing in your garage? Throw them out or put them in plastic containers. These items are ideal nesting materials for rodents!
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A little patience and perseverence will pay off. And once the little furry creatures have moved on, don't forget to seal off any openings which may have provided entry to your home. Smaller holes can be filled with pieces of steel wool. Larger openings may require steel wool combined with caulk or other filler, or pieces of 1/4 inch hardware cloth. |
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