OT: Diggers

[Steve IA]

I have a small critter of some sort digging under the skirting on a pier supported addition. Don't know what it is for sure, hole is only a couple inches wide, too small for a groundhog or skunk. I've started burying chicken wire and fist size rocks to create a barrier, but not sure that will be enough. I've tried live trapping whatever it is but no luck yet.

Do any of you know of anything that can be put on/in the ground around the skirting to repel mammals?

Thanks
Steve 8N 169302

 

[martyh]

Have to ID what it is first. There are always countermeasures but not many that are universal.

 

[Money Pit]

(quoted from post at 12:33:30 10/14/15) Have to ID what it is first. There are always countermeasures but not many that are universal.

agree with the need for identify first. trail camreas are your friend here. might be surprised what you see.

 

[Charlie in NY]

I'd guess chipmunk.

We have LOTS of 2" wide holes where they burrow in. There will be no dirt around most of the burrows and one, maybe 10 feet away, with lots of soil scattered around it.

 

[kub6040]

Lawn chairs and shot guns work well in the south. Identify a later some edible some not.

 

[Trapper D]

I trap a lot and I agree that you need to identify the critter but one fail safe is quick creet. Even with groundhogs that are a pain and notorious for digging back into borrows. You can stuff rocks and mesh forever and they find a way back. I have found that most critters will abandon the area if you use the quick creet. I am not sure if it is the chemicals that leach in and around but it works. If it is a small hole just mix it slightly on the runny side so it flows nice.I picked that trick up from an old friend of mine. I hope it helps. Good luck.

 

[ScoutB]

(quoted from post at 22:37:40 10/14/15) I trap a lot and I agree that you need to identify the critter but one fail safe is quick creet. Even with groundhogs that are a pain and notorious for digging back into borrows. You can stuff rocks and mesh forever and they find a way back. I have found that most critters will abandon the area if you use the quick creet. I am not sure if it is the chemicals that leach in and around but it works. If it is a small hole just mix it slightly on the runny side so it flows nice.I picked that trick up from an old friend of mine. I hope it helps. Good luck.

X2 on the Quick-Crete but I just pour it in dry. The Portland cement in it must raise havoc with mucus membranes when the critter tries to dig back through. I've evicted a few woodchucks this way.

 

[Steve IA]

Borrowed a trail camera haven't checked it this AM. Put some dry sackcrete on trouble areas. We'll see what happens.
Thanks for all the suggestions.
Steve

 

[Bill Crowell]

Many varmints have a hinged, collapsible skeleton so they can crawl through holes that seem much too small for them. So it could be a skunk. I have seen them crawl through really, really small holes.