We live on a golf course smack dab in middle of the city that we share with various urban critters: ducks and swans, squirrels and coons, rabbits and rats, bats and coyotes. In the past, some of them have tried to share our house with us, which just doesn’t work. Recently, we have had coons in the attic. I have learned a lot about coons and other creatures. How much do you know?
1. A female house mouse has how many litters per year? 1 to 4; 5 to 10; 11-14.
2. According to research at the University of Chicago, not only do birds dream, but they dream about: other birds; worms; their predators; songs to sing.
3. Stray dogs and cats are getting into your garbage and making a mess. What is your best choice of action? Call Animal Control; set a trap in the trashcan; spray some vinegar on the trash bags; wash out the can well after each use.
4. You just saw a bat flying around the room. Should you: Turn on all your lights and open all exterior doors and windows; spray it with hair spray to disorient it; corner it with a broom and catch it; none of the above?
5. A raccoon’s hind feet have an unusual ability. Do you know what it is? They can wear sneakers; they can shrink back in cold weather; they can grow replacement toes if one is caught in a trap; they can rotate.
6. Coyotes breed around the month of February and the pups are born in late April or early May of the same year. How many pups are usually born in one litter? 1 to 3; 4 to 6; 7 to 9.
7. True or False: Recent studies show that urban and suburban coyotes do better than their country cousins.
8. Some people consider squirrels pests. I agree, they can totally destroy a backyard that has a bird feeder, but still, there is a degree of “cuteness” factor there. Maybe it is their silly antics. There are two different species in our neighborhood. How many kinds of squirrels are there? 1,000; 126; 365; none of the above.
ANSWERS
1. The female house mouse has 5 to 10 litters per year. Litters of 5 to 6 young are born 19 to 21 days after mating occurs, although females that conceive while still nursing may have a slightly longer gestation period. These offspring are sexually mature at 6 to 10 weeks of age. 2. Birds dream about their songs, have dream rehearsals, and sing the same songs better the next day. 3. Spraying some vinegar on your trash will make your garbage much less desirable. Critter Control recommends ammonia as well. 4. The bat should be able to find the darkness and outside air current. If that doesn’t work, call the nearest Critter Control office. 5. They can rotate. Because of this, when they’re descending from a tree or height of any kind, instead of descending backward, as many mammals do, the raccoon can descend headfirst. 6. 4 to 6 pups are in one litter. At three weeks old, they leave the den, and at 8-12 weeks old, they are taught to hunt. They are sexually mature at one year of age. 7. True. There’s more to eat and good places to hide. Rural coyotes have a 30 percent chance of making it through their first year; and urban coyotes have a 60 percent chance, according to an Ohio State University study. 8. 365 different species have been documented.