Kill! Kill! Kill!
Did everyone have a nice Earth Day?
I`m old enough to remember the early days of Earth Day, in the `70`s. I have a vague memory of coloring a "Save the Earth! Don`t Pollute! Save the Animals!" poster with big fat crayons.
Now, about my backyard rodent that needs to die....
As you may have heard, this year has been exceptionally wet in the Bay Area. We had rain for 25 days in March, and April was mostly a washout, too. After one rainy spell, I noticed that some small animal had tunnelled under our plastic-floored toy shed. So I aimed our garden hose into the hole and flooded it -- but nothing crawled out.
A few days later, I noticed a huge dirt mound on the lawn, with a little hole next to it. Again, I aimed the hose into the hole, and this time, a small animal emerged.
No, it was not a wombat, but I`m not quite sure what it was.
It was about the size of a small guinea pig, so at first I assumed it was a mole. It didn`t scurry -- it sort of lumbered. And it definitely didn`t have one of those long nasty rat tails. It had sort of an abbreviated flesh-colored stump -- but it occurred to me later it might have been a small rat which had lost its tail in an accident. It was brown, not black, and it was a little larger than a mole. I didn`t get a good look at its snout, unfortunately.
I didn`t chase it -- I lumbered after it, in what I`m sure looked like a slow-motion parody of a chase, trying to determine if it had a rat tail. Picture this: two fat-bottomed, lazy mammals lumbering across a wet lawn. It went under a bush, and I left it to itself.
Ironically, this all happened right after I told the kids I`d think about getting a hamster. I had a nice email conversaton with Andie D., whose profile identifies her as a hamster owner, and she assured me they are low-maintenance pets. I have a dim childhood memory of our pet hamster being a little bit stinky, but Andie said no, theirs doesn`t stink at all.
But I`ve put our pet rodent plans on hold, until I get our pest rodent problem under control.
I have not seen any new holes since, but then, our little rodent did the unforgivable: it chewed up our garden hose. Perhaps it didn`t like having its tunnels flooded.
Some of you might ask, could it possibly have been Little Son who chewed up the hose? And I must say, no, I know what Little Son`s teeth marks look like, and it definitely wasn`t him.
So, cursing bitterly, I wasted good money on a new hose.
And I vowed to get my revenge on the wee wombat.
Any ideas?
I`m old enough to remember the early days of Earth Day, in the `70`s. I have a vague memory of coloring a "Save the Earth! Don`t Pollute! Save the Animals!" poster with big fat crayons.
Now, about my backyard rodent that needs to die....
As you may have heard, this year has been exceptionally wet in the Bay Area. We had rain for 25 days in March, and April was mostly a washout, too. After one rainy spell, I noticed that some small animal had tunnelled under our plastic-floored toy shed. So I aimed our garden hose into the hole and flooded it -- but nothing crawled out.
A few days later, I noticed a huge dirt mound on the lawn, with a little hole next to it. Again, I aimed the hose into the hole, and this time, a small animal emerged.
No, it was not a wombat, but I`m not quite sure what it was.
It was about the size of a small guinea pig, so at first I assumed it was a mole. It didn`t scurry -- it sort of lumbered. And it definitely didn`t have one of those long nasty rat tails. It had sort of an abbreviated flesh-colored stump -- but it occurred to me later it might have been a small rat which had lost its tail in an accident. It was brown, not black, and it was a little larger than a mole. I didn`t get a good look at its snout, unfortunately.
I didn`t chase it -- I lumbered after it, in what I`m sure looked like a slow-motion parody of a chase, trying to determine if it had a rat tail. Picture this: two fat-bottomed, lazy mammals lumbering across a wet lawn. It went under a bush, and I left it to itself.
Ironically, this all happened right after I told the kids I`d think about getting a hamster. I had a nice email conversaton with Andie D., whose profile identifies her as a hamster owner, and she assured me they are low-maintenance pets. I have a dim childhood memory of our pet hamster being a little bit stinky, but Andie said no, theirs doesn`t stink at all.
But I`ve put our pet rodent plans on hold, until I get our pest rodent problem under control.
I have not seen any new holes since, but then, our little rodent did the unforgivable: it chewed up our garden hose. Perhaps it didn`t like having its tunnels flooded.
Some of you might ask, could it possibly have been Little Son who chewed up the hose? And I must say, no, I know what Little Son`s teeth marks look like, and it definitely wasn`t him.
So, cursing bitterly, I wasted good money on a new hose.
And I vowed to get my revenge on the wee wombat.
Any ideas?
posted by L. at 1:41 PM
17 Comments:
No ideas about the not-a-wombat, sorry.
We have had pretty near every rodent known to man as pets - rabbits, hamsters, rats, gerbils, hamsters, and dwarf hamsters. I think that's it. Right now we have an elderly guinea pig and a brand new dwarf hamster. I wouldn't suggest a dwarf hamster. She's unnamed just yet, but "Little Nipper" is in the running...
Too small for a gopher?
I got lost in there somewhere. Can you find the second point of entry/exit? Many rodents have an escape hatch; that is if they haven't already tunneled through your entire back yard. If so, perhaps you could put a cork in it and force him/her/them out the other at which time you run screaming or dispatch it with a ball bat.
How does that sound?
We have a pet white rat who lives in my daughter's room (a cat free environment). Sweet natured, low maintenance. They live for two years or a little more so you'd be facing an eventual demise with all the drama that entails.
I'm thinking "Caddyshack" and plastique explosives, and.....
I once spent a goofy amount of money on a 'humane' rodent repeller (looked like this, and cost twice as much http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.northerntool.com/images/product/images/168433_lg.gif&imgrefurl=http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/297985.htm&h=200&w=200&sz=4&tbnid=bTuI8TcVyLoZZM:&tbnh=99&tbnw=99&hl=en&start=2&prev=/images%3Fq%3Drodent%2Brepeller%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26lr%3D%26client%3Dsafari%26rls%3Den%26sa%3DN ) ...you put batteries in it, bury it under the ground, and it emits a noise that chases the rodents away. To your neighbor's yard, probably, and they'll be pissed already because of the noise from the repeller. That was my solution, and it worked. BUT, since this winter has been so wet, maybe you could bury it all of the way underground, and the neighbors won't hear it. The ground was too hard when I did it, and I'm far too lazy to fight with dirt the consistancy of cement.
For the hamster, I have a warning (and an empty cage, if you want it)...we fell in love with our hamster, Diamond, and it was far too upsetting when she died after only 2 years. I thought a short lifespan would be a good thing, because there isn't so much committment. I had forgotten about the falling in love with the pet thing. So we won't have another hamster, because it breaks our heart to think of having to bury another one in just two years. :(
L. I sent you an e-mail with my technique for getting rid of gophers or moles.
No suggestions, but sometimes it's good to live in an apartment.
Would moving be a suggestion? Just kidding. Don't you hate suggestions that aren't suggestions? :)
Hmmmm, medium-sized rodent, short tail, brownish = probably a gopher???
My Arkansas aunts would put out some sort of fumigation/poison stuff... I remember a foul acrid smell.
But the ultrasonic gadget should drive it away & turn it into your neighbor's problem, ha ha.
I am sorry about the not-a-wombat. We have the northern portal for rats on the property line with our neighbors. We have repaired the lines several times, but they are wily creatures.
Different subject: Do you know what happened to MFA Mama? I get a username/password request when I try to look at her blog.
Well isn't jw all fancy with you email and everthing?
I think it might be a possum who's had a tail accident. My hard-ass Auntie Olga killed her last garden pest with a 2 x 4 I belive. I think you can do it. But she did have an accomplice.
It is not a rat. Rats do not dig up holes in your lawn. I agree with our other animal people it is most like a gopher.... the only thing I don't know is if they inhabit SF. The reason I say I don't know is that the eco system in SF isn't the same as the rest of the pennsulia so it actually has some unquie things like no rabies. Never no not any cases of rabies ever in SF.
Now about that hamster idea. If I may, here is the thing hamster bite, geribles bite, rats are great but most people are afraid of rats and they can bite but are ususally to smart to. THE best rodent pet is a Guina pig. They don't bite..... yes they have teeth and yes usually the saying goes "if it has teeth it can bite". But GP's really it is so rare and so mild as to be unspeakable. They do require the right food but it isn't hard to get. Yes they are slightly bigger then a hamster but all that means is that you will be able to find them. Also GP don't jump so you can have them in a very high plastic box with an open top (if you have no other animals) and they are fine. I have taken care of all sorts of rodents and that is just my two cents. Oh also GPs and rats live about 3-5 yrs. Hamster and Gerbils is 1 to 18months maybe a tiny bit longer. Don't do lizards.... they need lots of care and often live prey .... tho' not always.
damn ... blogger just ate my carefully crafted comment.
*sob*
anyway: Havahart humane traps. mine is model 1078.
-Blue
Now there's the exception-to-the rule: when my son jammed his finger in the guinea pig's mouth, then came crying to Mom: "Norman BIT MEEEE!"
No my son that don't count!
but seriously, I found a link for recent news of MFA Mama:
http://iowadrift.typepad.com
Apparently she's left A**hole & in a safe place, thank God...
Call a professional.
It simply CAN'T be a wombat! They are Australian (like me). They are found in the state I live in but are ALWAYS a RARE sight to be hold. and they are HUGE. They don't dig up lawns. and The kind of POssums we have here (Australia is full of hundreds of types of possums) wouldn't dig up a lawn either. I think it's a Gopher or a rat. or a mole.
Traps.
Don't know what to bait it with though.
Glad it wasn't you son doing the chewing.
I prefer Guinea Pigs as rodent pets.
Hi,
I just want you to think about your actions. This is just an innocent gopher who is as much alive as you are. How dare you try and drown it. A rodent is an animal too..just like us it has feelings!! How ironic of you to want to adopt a hamster when you are trying to murder an animal in the same family. People like you need to really think about how cruel such actions are. As it is humans are the cause of the destruction of animals and their homes. We should learn to live with them and not be so angry just because holes are occuring in a yard...it just so sad...and so less worthy to worry about.....
Aiko, how did you find this old post of mine? How did you find my blog? Just wondering.
I didn`t drown the voles last year. I beat them to death with a shovel. Seriously.
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