Help needed identifying holes

[outinthewoods]

We have two holes close to each other in the garden- one is under a small bit of decking and the other is at the edge of the garden backing on to a paddock, they are approx 6 foot apart from each other. There are also two more similar holes in the paddock.

I've taken photos of them as best as I can:

this is approx 5 inches across


this is approx 8 inches across at the widest point

We do have rabbits in the paddock and lots of rabbit droppings there, but no droppings at all in the garden and I didn't think rabbits would burrow so close to the house.

There has been a very strong urine smell in the garden, so strong that we could smell it in the house one morning. It smelt like dog urine, but we don't have a dog any more. Is that likely to be foxes marking their territory?

Any help much appreciated.

[Hedera]

Hope it's not rats. Foxes do scent-mark and you can't miss it! (Ever smelt crown imperial lilies - it's just like them.)

[nightshade]

That looks like Rats.

[outinthewoods]

Oh dear, I was really hoping it wasn't rats. Do rats really make holes that big?

If it is rats can we put poison down or do we risk harming other wildlife in the garden?

[Dogghound]

Rats or rabbits, any droppings around?

Dont use poison its extremely damaging to the environment, either use spring traps (with a tunnel entrance) or use a potter trap/cage trap dispatch it within it if its a rat.

[werdnal]

I'd 2nd not using poison. Not only can it be taken by other animals, but rats do not die instantly and can then be caught by owls, foxes - even domestic cats, who can then be "secondary" poisoned if they eat the carcass.

Also, it is not very humane on the rat anyway, as its a slow and sometimes painful death. You may also find they die in an inconvenient place, then cause a smell whilst the body rots away.

Traps are safer, more humane, plus you know how many you have caught.