Skunks: are like the size of a cat and weigh up to 14 lbs. Males are solitary animals when not breeding, but females may shelter in dens with other skunks for warmth in colder habitats. They shelter during the day in their burrows and come out in the evening.  In the winter, Skunks do not hibernate, instead they go through a bit of a dormant stage. They will remain in their dens for extended periods, generally inactive and feeding rarely.  They have been known to use the same winter den consecutively.  Skunks have an excellent sense of smell and hearing, but can only see objects less than 10ft away.  They can live up to 7 years in the wild, but many don’t make it past a year. Females will have their babies in May and June and can have a litter of 4 to 7 babies. The baby Skunks will remain in their dens for eight weeks. Skunks have two glands, one on each side of the anus, for spraying anything that threatens them.  They can spray up to 10ft with accuracy and are capable of spraying up to six times in a row.  If they exhaust their spray sack, they require up to ten days to produce another supply. 

 

Raccoons: a nocturnal mammal, primarily active at night. They enjoy their own company and are usually only seen in groups when it’s a mom with her young. Raccoon's eat fruits, berries, nuts, fish, frogs, insects, turtles, mice, rabbits, muskrats and bird eggs.  The average lifespan of a Raccoon in the wild is about five years, but with a healthy food source and shelter, they can survive for more than 10 years.  Raccoon's typically give birth to 3 or 4 offspring, called kits, between March and April and only have one litter a year.  If the first litter does not survive, a second litter is possible late June. Newborns are blind and deaf for their first three weeks.

 

Possum (Opossum):  The Virginia Opossum is found in Canada and is our only marsupial (babies born under developed, that continue to develop and suckle in their mother’s pouch).  Very similar in behaviour and diet to Skunks and Raccoon's, they are also omnivorous and opportunistic feeders.  They enjoy eating a variety of plants and animal matter, as well as foraging through garbage. Possums are also about the size of a house cat, with coarse, greyish fur, whitish faces, long pointed snouts and naked, round ears with beady eyes.  Their tails are rat like and can grasp items.  Since they have naked tails, ears and paws, they are susceptible to the cold and are prone to frostbite. They are mostly docile, aloof and rarely dangerous.  They have been known to play dead when scared and can stay in that state for up to six hours, waiting out danger.

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Possums generally breed from December to February and birth litters between February and June. Usually, females have one or two litters per year of 4-8 joeys, but can have a third litter if climatic conditions are favourable. The new born joeys can be as small as a honey bee, fur-less, blind and will crawl immediately into their moms pouch for protection and to continue to develop. After about two months they are large enough to ride on their mom’s back while she goes out to hunt.  Opossums are mainly solitary animals, but have been observed hanging out with skunks and raccoon's.

 

Squirrels & Chipmunks:  Red and grey squirrels are common in Ontario. Squirrels reproduce twice a year, February to April and in late August to September.  The first litter of babies will leave the nest around April or May and the second litter leaves in September.  Baby squirrels are ready to be on their own at 10 weeks of age.

Chipmunks generally reproduce once a year with breeding season from mid-April to mid-May.  Babies are born after about 30 days, in May and June and will stay in the nest for up to six weeks.  Chipmunks typically give birth to litters of 3-8 young.