Along with a subway map and portable phone charger, a can of Raid should be considered a staple item of a New Yorker's survival kit.

Who says you can't find nature in New York City?

 From small insects to the occasional coyote (yup),  you never know what you might find crawling from behind your cabinets or scurrying down the sidewalk. 

But coming into contact with various vermin is essentially a rite of passage for New Yorkers, so grab some mouse traps at Duane Reade and prepare to face these 7 creatures head on. 

1. Cockroaches

h_carver My two male gromphs, Fluffy and Snuggles. #cockroaches #insects

I mean, come on - if you haven't yet seen and/or killed a cockroach, are you really a New Yorker? 

It's essentially a milestone of the NYC lifestyle. Accept it, embrace it, and remember that Clorox acts as a fantastic Raid substitute.

2. Subway rats

It is not uncommon to catch sight of an unnaturally giant, scraggly rat running along the subway tracks while you're waiting for the train. 

It is uncommon, however, to find something so weirdly adorable as a rat trying to make his way down the stairs with a whole slice of pizza. 

Any other living thing hanging out in the tracks might raise concern amongst bystanders, but when it comes to the rats, we are all kind of secretly hoping the train will act as an exterminator of sorts. 

Right?

3. Park rats

tiny_tails_haaa 🐭Follow me for rat stuff🐭 I'm not afraid to invade my rats' personal space because they constantly invade mine...then chew on it. #cute #RattieSkittle #fancyrat #littlehelper #pet #pets #rat #rats #rattie #ratte #ratcommunity #virginiafancyratowners #virginiabeachfancyratowners #treatietime #treatie #closeup

You might also spot rats in other fun, unexpected locations. 

It's easy to ignore them when they're far beneath you on the subway tracks and therefore out of your zone of contact. 

But when they scurry past your feet while you're innocently hanging out on a park bench, it's time to find a new hang out spot.

4. Pigeons

sarsty #worstnightmare #pigeons #damsquare #Amsterdam #birds #eurotrip #europetrip #holland #netherlands #instatravel #travelgram #instadaily #travel #adventure #explore #travellife #travelphotography #wanderlust #travelbug #travelporn #earthporn #passportlife #instapassport #aroundtheworld #worldplaces #lonelyplanet #world

These flight-confused birds are so accustomed to human life that they have no qualms about getting all up in your grill, or not getting out of your way. Not annoying at all.

5) Mice

jordi68ag Ratón espinoso. Acomys cahirinus. #mouse #mousepet #mice #acomys #cahirinus #espinoso #púas #púa #espina #espinas #espinoso #ratonerizo #ratondecreta #thorn #plectrum #plectrums #mouseplectrum #cobaisdelrentonar #pet

These cuddly little creatures will find their way into your apartment via the tiny hole in the kitchen wall that your landlord keeps promising to fix. 

Cinderella may have had her reasons for befriending them, but in reality, mice are nothing more than pests that incessantly gnaw through your bags of granola. 

And at $12 a bag at Whole Foods, you can't afford to let them hang out in your living space. Exterminator please.

6. Squirrels

mr_squirrelly I know you're in there lady! #squirrelsofinstagram #squirrels #squirrel

For reasons unbeknownst to anyone, tourists in public parks can often be seen attempting to coax these small rodents into coming over to them. 

Maybe they think they're cute? Or maybe there are no squirrels wherever they're from? 

Either way, it's an annoyance to the New Yorkers around them who would prefer to enjoy a vermin-free lunch break.

7. Coyotes

photofeldypants #CorralTheCoyote #NBC4NY #CoyoteOnTheLoose I hope @IdaSiegal4NY lands the first interview with the #NYCCoyote Good thing @MayorBillyD installed the 10ft high fence at Gracie Mansion to keep the Coyote out!

Typically, New Yorkers are unaccustomed to seeing wild animals outside the walls of The Natural History Museum. 

But recently, some brave (or just highly confused) coyotes have taken to wandering from their suburban outskirts into certain areas of Manhattan and Queens. 

Turns out, a mugger is not the most dangerous thing you can encounter on a NYC street. 

Considering the fact that NYC is a man-made metropolis, you may be surprised at the amount of "wildlife" you can actually encounter here. But hey, it's all part of the adventure that is NYC, right? 

Check out 9 Official Ways to Tell If You’re a True New Yorker