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Identify
Nuisance Wildlife
| Muskrats |
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Description
& Habitat
The muskrat is a stout,
chunky animal with short legs.
An adult ranges from 22 to 25
inches long. The 11-inch black
tail is scaly, hairless and
laterally flattened. The
average weight of a mature muskrat is about 2.5 pounds.
The large, broad hind feet are
partially webbed and
well-adapted for swimming.
They have dense, silky, grayish underfur heavily
overlaid on the back and sides
with glossy, dark-brown guard
hairs. Muskrats are found in just
about every state of the union
including small areas of
Florida and California. Seldom
found far from water, they
prefer the still or
slow-moving
water of marshes,
ponds and streams.
Disease
Tularemia
- A bacterial disease
associated with various animal
species especially beavers,
rabbits, and rodents. Tularemia occurs year-round
throughout the United States
and in Colorado, two seasonal
peaks, the first in May and
another in October. People can
contract tularemia
by handling
infected animal carcasses,
eating or drinking
contaminated food or water, or breathing in
F. tularensis.
Symptoms could include sudden
fever/chills, headaches,
muscle aches, cough,
progressive weakness, and
pneumonia. If treated quickly
with the
appropriate antibiotics,
this potentially
fatal disease
is curable. Rubber
gloves should be worn when
handling beavers or working
where they live.
Tyzzer's Disease
- A
bacterial disease of wildlife
caused by the organism Bacillus
piliformis. Tyzzer's
Disease has been identified
in
muskrats
and rabbits. Natural
transmission likely occurs
through the ingestion of these
spores by susceptible
individuals from contaminated
housing, bedding or feed. The
gregarious behavior of
muskrats and rabbits increases
the likelihood of infection by
exposing these species to infected areas.
An area
which has infected animals
present remains contaminated for a
considerable length of time.
For
more information on these
diseases contact:
The
Centers for Disease Control
and Prevention
at 800-311-3435
or e-mail them at: http://www.cdc.gov/netinfo.htm Damage
Muskrats can cause damage to property when they burrow into ditch
banks as they make their den and by eating vegetation such as lawn
grass, or
garden and ornamental plants. Hole digging activities
undermine earthen
dams and dikes. Damages also occur to irrigation
canals and farm ponds. Muskrat
feeding activities often destroy the
roots of the vegetation, and it may
takeb15-20 years for the habitat to return to its original state. This industrious little rodent can cause a lot
of damage in a little time.
Although the feeding habits of muskrats may result in some damage
to agricultural or ornamental crops growing near water, the principal
cause for concern is the potential damage to earthen water- retaining structures,
resulting from muskrat burrowing activities. Extensive tunneling into
earthen dams may result in water leaks or even in the loss of stored water.
When
muskrat numbers get too high in late summer and fall,
the
population becomes stressed.
Damage
Control
Trapping
is the best way to solve
specific problems caused
by
muskrats
(for example, when
they burrow in a pond dam)
and
manage their numbers for
ecological benefits.
ADC
Solutions
Muskrats
may be trapped or shot when
responsible for property
damage. An ADC wildlife
professional will come out to your location
and discuss with you the options you have to rid
yourself of these nuisance
animals.
For expert advice and solutions
to nuisance wildlife problems,
Call
Us Now!
Office:
303-884-9100
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