AYou may think you are being a 'good Samaritan', but it is really an injustice to bring them inside or feed them. Many calls, Suprock says, are from people who want to rescue these animals because they are being stalked by cats. It's estimated, she says, that the nation's 64 million house cats, barnyard cats, and feral cats kill over one billion birds and three billion small mammals in the United States each year. If its natural nest is high in a tree, place the artificial nest as high in the tree as you can reach. Always wear gloves.
Raccoons often cause problems by nesting in chimneys.
Placing the young and nesting material in a box next to the chimney, so the mother can retrieve them, is best. It is important not to separate family units when removing animals. Generally, any opening greater than one-quarter inch is large enough to allow an animal access and should be blocked or screened with building materials resistant to gnawing or prying, such as galvanized sheet metal. If you find an existing hole, extend a metal patch six inches beyond it in all directions to prevent squirrels from gnawing around the patch. Before making repairs, be certain the space is empty, even if that means calling an animal control professional to check for you.