Baby Raccoons Born in January 2022…Never Seen Before!
Gates Wildlife discovered our first litter of baby raccoons on January 20th 2022 in Mississauga, Ontario. This discovery is a whole month earlier than we’ve ever seen in our 37 year history. Typically mother raccoons mate in January and give birth to their babies in attics, chimneys and sheds in the months of March, April […]
Have You Ever Seen a Ring Neck Snake?
This snake is named for the distinct yellow, cream or orange ring around the neck. The body is a uniform dark grey, brown or black and this species has smooth scales. Adult Ring-necked Snakes are generally less than 50 cm long. In Canada, the Ring-necked Snake is found from Ontario east of Lake Superior to […]
Baby Squirrels are Active During September 2021
Better to jump from trees with! Red squirrel’s have pads at the base of their paws, and on each of their ‘fingers’, which contain more fatty tissue. These pads allow them to act as shock absorbers when the squirrel lands. While running the tail is used as a counterbalance to help the squirrel steer and […]
Gates Wildlife Uses Heated Release Boxes
Heated Release Boxes Gates Wildlife worked hard to develop techniques that were scientifically sound and combined these with a strict “follow-up” protocol to ensure that all removals go according to plan. Wildlife rehabilitators, Municipal Animal Services, Humane Societies, the media and most importantly our customers embraced our humane approach. The wildlife control industry quickly recognized […]
Someone in Toronto found a family of baby raccoons living in their fireplace
Wildlife control officers in Toronto are certainly no strangers to hissing opossums or spraying skunks, but sometimes their job brings them face to face with some critters of a much more adorable nature. Take, for example, the tiny baby raccoons that one company found in the fireplace of a Toronto home this month. Gates’ Wildlife Control discovered the family of […]
HELP! A Raccoon Fell Through My Ceiling!
When homeowners begin to hear wildlife moving about in the attic, they fear that the animal will come through the ceiling and into the house. While some wildlife removal companies will play-up this fear as a common occurrence to create added concern in the mind of the customer, it is actually a fairly uncommon situation. […]
What Does a Hole Made by a Pileated Woodpecker in Tree Look Like?
Who made this mysterious hole? This past fall I came across this rather large perfectly excavated hole in the side of this tree. These are classic holes made by a foraging Pileated woodpecker. Pileated woodpeckers are looking for insects such as carpenter ants and beetle larvae that are deep beneath the bark of the tree. […]
Unfortunate Luck For A Beaver in Pickering, ON
Sometimes things don’t go as planned! When a beaver decides to take down a tree it really has no idea what direction it is going to fall. Sometimes it can even be fatal for the beaver if the tree falls on top of them. While walking in the woods near my house I came across […]
The Canada Goose
The Canada Goose is a large wild goose species with a black head and neck, white cheeks/chin and a brown body. They are one of the best known birds in North America. As most people who live in an area with Canadian Geese will know, the gander (male goose) is a fierce defender of his […]
Do Raccoon Den Together In The Winter?
“Have you ever heard of knocking?” As the days get colder and darker, raccoons are busy packing on their winter weight and have grown their much needed thick winter coat. Their ability to store body fat allows them to live off their fat reserves and stay in their den longer when food is scarce. A […]