Wildlife in Etobicoke: Which Animals Hibernate?

Since wildlife has has become a common reality for Etobicoke residents, you may well be wondering which animals hibernate as winter approaches. Knowledge of this kind of behaviour will no doubt help to determine the types of humane wildlife prevention Etobicoke residents use in the winter. [caption id="attachment_15559" align="aligncenter" width="350"] Raccoons do not hibernate and remain active all year round.[/caption]

Hibernation Vs Torpor

Since some animals don’t really hibernate, instead they go into torpor, we cannot really group animal activity by hibernation. Animal experts know otherwise though. We know that skunks, squirrels, rats and raccoons do not hibernate and that they remain active during the winter, making them the wildlife creatures Etobicoke residents are likely to encounter in their homes each winter. The true winter hibernators are bats (most of whom retreat deep into caves or old mines to hibernate) and chipmunks. Hibernation for most animals involves a drop in body temperature and slowed breathing which results in lower metabolic rates. Through hibernation, animals conserve the energy stored in their body and are able to survive the long winter with little to no food. So the answer to the question of which Etobicoke animals hibernate? Depends on how technical you want to get. The truth is that you will naturally see a reduction in animal activity in the winter, even for those animals that don’t hibernate at all.

Animal Activity During the Winter and the Impact on Homeowners

When it comes to the animals that remain active during winter, Etobicoke residents are likely to have unpleasant or uncomfortable encounters. This is because these animals are seeking food and shelter to survive the winter and will often make their way into buildings occupied by people. These animals will forage throughout the winter, usually on warmer days and in doing so may wreak havoc in your garbage disposal areas among other places. In addition, their nests where they live and nurse their young are sometimes made by nibbling or scratching away bits of your building and furniture. Many of these animals could also be carriers of diseases which can harm people. Clearly, the cost of wildlife invasion can be quite high. Squirrels do not hibernate and remain active throughout winter.

How Skedaddle Can Help

When it comes to wildlife invasion of homes, prevention is the key and Skedaddle has you covered as far as humane wildlife prevention Etobicoke is concerned. We work throughout the winter to ensure that your home remains free from unwanted wildlife presence because we know just how costly an invasion can be. And we are very familiar with the wildlife animals that tend to be active at this time of the year which means our services are backed by sound knowledge. After evaluating your home to see which barrier methods will be most effective, we get to work. We cover all potential entry points (after ensuring that there are no animals inside, of course) and install fencing and trenches that will discourage the arrival of wildlife animals for years to come.