rats hole i think

naturelover · #1 (**permalink**) 29-12-2007, 10:57 AM

hi i have been telling you all about my rats under my decking,well they have now moved under the waterfall,i know there is already talk about rats but i couldnt find it so i opend a new thread,hope you dont mind,this is the picture of the opening,you say there should be a mound outside where they have tunnled, but there is no pile up of earth outside mine,question is are they rats?

ron1863 · #2 (**permalink**) 29-12-2007, 11:16 AM

We also had rats under our deck last year and got the council to get rid of them as I don't mind them being outside but they might have got into the house from beneath the decking.
Our house backs onto a river and the banking has lots of holes similar to those in your photo, ours are mice holes as I watch them coming out as it's getting dark, so yours could be mice holes too.

Why don't you set a humane trap to see?

naturelover · #3 (**permalink**) 29-12-2007, 11:19 AM

hi ron,i dont think they are mice by the size of the hole,its a good two ins across.

vole-woman · #4 (**permalink**) 29-12-2007, 02:52 PM

Thanks, naturelover. It looks ratty, from the dimensions, though I gather if a lot of mice use a mousehole it can get quite enlarged. Scat would tell you, if you can find any.

Just about to post a pic of my tunnel to my rat thread. Tell me what you think.

ron1863 · #5 (**permalink**) 29-12-2007, 03:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naturelover

hi ron,i dont think they are mice by the size of the hole,its a good two ins across.

Hi Naturelover, have you thought about using a live trap to check what it is?

cathyh · #6 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 01:27 AM

Hi,

We were recently advised by authority, "Rat hole size of Tennis Ball, Mouse hole size of Golf Ball" so looks like bad news for you - maybe.

...My dafty Mother (in her late 70s) was feeding a rat in field behind their house with bread in broad daylight, as most people might feed birds - My Dad going mad, running round waving his arms and threatening to get an air rifle - Mum saying 'Aaahh its only a harmless Field Rat and not very big'!!

Cathy

Blackbrook Eye · #7 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 02:53 AM

Hi naturelover, looking at the picture of your rockery, it is quite possible that there is very little soil beneath the rocks anyway and it could be just voids between them, in which case there would be very little for the rat to remove, so it is not unlikely that you would see little sign excavation, rats are idle too!!

m1.carson · #8 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 07:03 AM

Hi naturelover,

Leaks can undermine waterfalls, but it does look like an animal type hole unfortunately.

Can anyone enlighten me as to what "Scat" is.

Max.

nightshade · #9 (**permalink**) 06-01-2008, 07:07 AM

It looks like a rat hole I noticed one in a similar position near my pond and they have excavated into the base of my midden (compost heap) this is very recent so I will be watching closely.
We clean up around the bird feeders before dark.