The war between family and snake

Photo and Text

By RANDALL P. DAVIS

They say, “Necessity is the mother of invention.” But when some folks are faced with a nuisance wildlife “crisis,” desperation becomes the father of innovation!

I know, for I have seen some marvelous, desperate innovations.

A RACCOONS’ BATHTUB

One homeowner had had enough of attic-dwelling raccoons pushing down loose ceiling drywall to access the bathroom.

If you think it’s annoying for the family dog to drink from the toilet bowl, it’s supremely disgusting to discover cute local wildlife using the commode as a personal bathtub – with the handy roll of toilet paper as a convenient tub toy.

The homeowner solved the problem by wedging two cans of hairspray, one on top the other, between the vanity mirror cabinet and ceiling. Voila! No more midnight bathing.

The issue seemed averted until a week later, when moisture from the raccoons’ lofty toilet weakened the drywall just above the homeowner’s bed.

At 3 a.m., I received their frantic call about a pair of raccoons ricocheting off their bed and bedroom walls. Later, after capturing the rogue residents, I learned how their simple and clever toilet in - novation just didn’t produce the “desired results.”

More Bright Ideas

There have been other instances of creative thinking.

One client thought that throwing chewed bubble gum into a groundhog’s burrow would cause it to eat it and create a blockage in its bowel, thus causing it to “explode.”

The guy went through 10 packages of gum before asking me if it would work. Regrettably, for the dude’s jaw muscles at least, it would not.

Then there was the time a homeowner broadcast pounds of mothballs in his attic to drive out a bat colony. The bats were unimpressed

See WRANGLING page 28