NWR Field Notes

OXFORD, FL - An 8 1/2 foot long Burmese Python escaped from an aquarium during the night, in a home with 3 small children sleeping in their beds. When the owner discovered the snake missing in the morning, two year old Shaiunna Hare had already had the life squeezed from her.

In the 911 call to police, Charles Jason Darnell, the boyfriend of Shaiunna’s mother, swears and whimpers, telling a dispatcher, “The baby’s dead. … Our stupid snake got out in the middle of the night and strangled the baby. … She got out of the cage last night and got into the baby’s crib and strangled her to death.”

The child was dead when deputies arrived about 10 a.m.

Officials say it’s the first documented python attack on a human in Florida.

The snake was found under furniture and was alive when officers removed it several hours later from the home on rural County Road 466. Officials said the reptile was a family pet, along with a 6-foot python.

“This is a very sad situation,” Sumter County Sheriff Bill Farmer said. “To keep a large, unsecured snake in the house is just asking for trouble.”

Darnell told deputies he placed the larger snake in a bag, which he put in an aquarium Tuesday night. Darnell said he discovered the snake had escaped when he awoke this morning, officials said.

Darnell, 32, told investigators he found the python on top of Shaiunna. He stabbed it several times to get it to release the child, but it was too late. She also had bite marks on her head.

Two older children who were in the home at the time were unharmed.

Darnell and Shaiunna’s mother, Jaren Ashley Hare, 23, were questioned by deputies. No charges had been filed as of Wednesday night.

The snakes have been confiscated and will be evaluated by a veterinarian to determine whether they should be euthanized, sheriff’s Lt. Bobby Caruthers said.

Darnell does not have a permit to own a Burmese python, classified as a “reptile of concern,” said Joy Hill, spokeswoman with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.

It’s a second-degree misdemeanor to possess a python without a permit.

Pythons are not a native species but are popular among snake owners. They can grow to more than 25 feet and are constrictors, killing their prey by wrapping themselves around it and squeezing.

Officials say about 450 licensees are permitted to possess reptiles of concern and/or venomous reptiles in Florida

Every once in a while, we get a call to remove a snake, and when I we get there we find a huge python or boa constrictor. These are considered “domestics”, and it is always assumed that they were set loose by some irresponsible owner who could no longer feed and take care of the lengthy beast.

But what if it wasn’t a domestic? What if it were a wild or “feral” snake, which could grow up to 25 feet? What a scary thought.

It has been estimated that there are 10,000 to 20,000 wild constrictors living in the Everglades, competing for and winning a place in the eco-system.  Again, irresponsible owners have been blamed, but what are the odds that there has been a sudden surge in the population of stupid snake owners in south Florida? A more likely scenario, since the time frame seems to fit, is that Hurricane Andrew (1992) released all the animals in pet shops across south Florida, and now 17 years later, the snakes have adapted, probably eating most of the other storm survivors along the way.

Killed or captured pythons have revealed virtually every warm blooded species available, in their stomachs. There is no shortage of food available to them. They are so adapted and well fed, that they can only now spread North, through Florida and beyond, much like the killer bees did through Mexico from South America.

It has been said by many that the snakes can’t go anywhere, because they cannot survive further North. We’re further North, and we’re finding them. Life adapts to new environments gradually, and moves on. There were snakes and other reptiles long before the last ice age, and they are still here. They lived through it.

Now there is an experiment going on at the Savannah River Ecology Lab, funded by the University of Georgia, to see if captured everglades Burmese Pythons can survive the bitter cold winters of South Carolina. They have this Jurassic Park mentality that 10 huge snakes surrounded by 400 feet of 8 foot high fence cannot escape, and would soon die in the wild if they did. As John Hammond, the ficticious creator of Jurassic Park said, “That’s why we’re taking extraordinary precautions. “  And anyone who was entertained by that movie could see, nature has its own agenda.

Don’t worry, they’ll make it there soon enough. Don’t rush it.

If you’re planning to close up the Florida condo for a few months, here are a few things to consider before you leave for home.

Two weeks before you leave:

• Check to see if any prescriptions need to be filled.
• Cover garage windows.
• Call Nuisance Wildlife Removal for a FREE inspection. You dont want any surprise visitors moving in while you’re gone.
• Set timers to control lights - this lets you check that they work.
• Remove keys from “secret” places, both house & car.
• Ask a neighbor to park in your driveway occasionally, and check inside the condo twice a month.
• Arrange to have newspaper & mail delivery stopped

The day you leave:

• Lock all windows and doors.
• Throw away perishables from refrigerator.
• Check expiration dates in the pantry. Will the foods still be good when you return?
• Set air conditioning to 80 degrees to control indoor humidity.
• Turn off water behind toilets.
• Take out the trash.

When you return:

If you didn’t call Nuisance Wildlife Removal before you left, and now smell something dead in the condo, call us now. We will find and retrieve anything dead, and treat the area with special odor neutralizing enzymes.
Call us at 941-729-2103 , or 407-252-4133 in the Orlando area.

On Friday we responded to a call about an odor in a closet. When we arrived we could tell that it was definitely a dead animal odor. The tech went into the attic and retrieved a female rat and 4 young. He then treated the area with enzymes to eliminate the odor, problem solved!

Or not, on Tues the customer called back and stated that she was away for the weekend and when she returned the odor was still present. We sent our tech out again and yes the odor was definitely still present. Again we went up into the attic and after looking and looking we finally found it…on the other side of the closet there was a nest of baby rats.  So, we treated it again with enzymes and problem solved….

Or so we thought once again…..Thursday morning the customer phones in again and stated that the odor is worse than ever..so we took another trip out there….we met the customers daughter…there was low to no odor….in the closet..in the attic there was NO odor!! But, the customer wanted us to cut a hole into the interior wall of the closet so we did…but even with the hole cut there was still NO odor coming from the wall…she did however have an ionizer running in the closet to circulate the air.We think that the filter on the ionizer was holding and emitting the odor…so we suggested that she not run that for a few days and see if the odor dissipates.

Well the maternity season for bats is under way.

We received a phone call on Saturday from a property manager of an apartment complex in Largo. She was frantic…stated that a tenant had just come in a reported that bats were all in her walls. So we sent out Tommy, our on-call tech, to assess the situation.  Tommy arrived on scene and did an initial inspection of the exterior of the building and noted their entry point. He then proceeded into the attic to inspect.

Upon entering the attic he noticed a slight odor, which was the bat guano. Once in the attic he spotted 3 bats, 2 adults and a baby. That is all that was present at the time of inspection.  There was however evidence that the bats have been roosting there for quite some time. We explained that it is maternity season, which is from April 15^th – August 30^th, which means that the bats are having their young and cannot be disturbed during that time.   We are going to be doing a follow-up inspection the first of next week to determine if that is all of the bats in this colony or not.

Make sure that you choose a licensed, professional, wildlife control company when you have a nuisance animal. Nuisance Wildlife Removal prides itself on upholding the highest of standards. We have the knowledge of true professionals, as well as experienced, licensed personnel who know how to humanely deal with your wildlife problems. And we’ll do it in a manner that is least traumatic to both the animal and your family. Real experience from a licensed professional is the only way to ensure that your needs will be properly - and legally - met.

Are they operating legally?
When looking for a company to deal with your nuisance wildlife, make sure the company you choose is both licensed and insured. If the charge you have been quoted is extremely low, chances are you are not dealing with a licensed professional. A real wildlife control professional will have the cost of continuing education and carrying all appropriate licenses and insurance in order to operate legally. If you have any doubt that the trapper you have hired is licensed, check with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Make sure you have a contract, in writing, which states exactly what service the Wildlife Control Company will provide and what things may cost additionally. Discuss what repairs - if any - the company can provide for areas that have been compromised.

Are they operating ethically?
The last thing to ask yourself is how humanely the nuisance animal is taken care of. If a cage or a trap is set, will the animal be protected? How long will they be kept before they are removed and will the animal have enough food and water? If the weather is bad, will the company still come promptly if an animal has been captured? Any wildlife control company may find a time that euthanasia is appropriate. If so, will it be done in a manner that is approved by the American Veterinary Association? And will disposal of the carcass be done in a sanitary, legal manner.

Our Mission Statement:
Nuisance Wildlife Removal is committed to providing safe, effective and humane solutions to all nuisance animal problems in private homes and commercial properties throughout Florida.

This week our guy Tommy went on a call about raccoons in an attic. Its a nice neighborhood out in the country, so it sometimes attracts unwelcomed visitors from the nearby Florida wilderness.

Accompanied by our company Vice President Christy, the outside of the home was checked and sure enough, the soffit was pulled away in one spot, allowing easy access to a critter wanting to live in the attic.

Next, Tom opened the attic access an could hear baby raccoons crying for their startled mamma. He dispensed some predator scent to keep momma raccoon away while he crawled through the tight attic to the nest. There nestled comfortably in a dormer, were four newborn baby coons. They could’nt have been more than 2 or 3 days old, with eyes still shut and umbilicals still attached.

Once the babies were packed up and moved out, more predator scent was used to convince momma raccoon to leave the attic. There was no longer any reason for her to stay and put up with what she had to consider a scary, bad smelling human.

Once she exited, her “welcome mat” was yanked. The soffit was fixed, and the babies were taken to a local veterinarian to be cared for until they are old enough to fend for themselves in the wild.

Just another typical call for we here at Nuisance Wildlife Removal.

Domestic animals diagnosed with rabies (Florida 2001)
Dogs  1 

Cats  16

Cattle 0

Horses/ mules 1

Sheep/goats 0

Swine 0

Other Domestic 0

Wild animals diagnosed with rabies (Florida 2001)
 Skunks 0

Foxes 35

Bats 21

Raccoons 130

Rodents/ rabbits 1

Other wild animals 4

Human Rabies (Florida 2001) = none

This time of year, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) sees an increase in the number of reports of coyotes in urban neighborhoods — and not unexpectedly. As development encroaches upon wildlife habitat, encounters between wildlife and humans are bound to increase, and the coyote is no exception.

There is no reason for immediate concern just because someone sees a coyote in the neighborhood, according to FWC wildlife experts. Coyotes have lived in and among humans in urban settings for many years with little fanfare.

“Urban coyotes are just trying to feed pups at this time of year, and that sometimes causes them to venture into human neighborhoods, resulting in more frequent contacts with people,” said Breanne Strepina, wildlife biologist for the FWC.

The FWC says residents can prevent most conflicts with coyotes and other wildlife by taking a few simple proactive steps to avoid creating nuisance opportunities.

Coyotes in urban areas become accustomed to humans if there is a food source in the neighborhood, and coyotes in particular look for easy meals. These clever creatures get into pet food and unsecured garbage cans. All such attractants should be removed from the yard, as should other food sources in accessible areas.

Drought conditions and the economy also play a role in the increased number of coyotes seen in urban areas.

“The coyote’s local watering hole may have dried up, so it has to move to find water elsewhere, often in retention and golf course ponds,” Strepina said. “The increase in abandoned homes in foreclosure, with overgrown vegetation, attracts coyotes, providing good hiding places close to food and water.”

Though urban coyotes can be seen at any time of the night or day, it is more common to encounter them between dusk and dawn, particularly near natural areas bordered by water. Residents walking small pets at these times and places should be particularly cautious.

“Carry a flashlight, noisemaker and a stick or golf club when walking small animals,” Strepina said. “That will help scare away wildlife looking for food.”

Keep pets on a leash, and if approached by potentially dangerous wildlife, do not hunch over your pet to protect it. Pick up small pets and stand as tall as possible. Call the Wildlife Alert hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) to report any problems with coyotes or other wildlife.

Nuisance coyote behavior will be dealt with by the FWC on a case-by-case basis. If there is a focused problem, there are methods available to residents and professional trappers to target specific nuisance animals.

For more information on living with coyotes and preventing conflicts with these adaptable creatures, contact your local FWC regional office.

March 24, 2009 Story from http://wjhg.com

Nuisance Wildlife Removal Inc.is proud to announce free trapping. Two ways to qualify.

1.  NWR will do one job per month to a needy individual to remove wildlife or handel some other critter problem  like rodents or rats for them at no cost. Please call to see if you qualify for this exciting offer. Or e-mail your story to service@flnwr.com

2. If you have Raccoons, Bats or Opossums in your attic you my qualify for free removal or trapping. Call to learn more.

These are just two more ways that Nuisance Wildlife Removal Inc. is continuing to support our local community.