We have burrowing rodents in thge yard, garden, pasture what to do.

I just got 3-Sonic ground rodent controllers the other day from DR. the people with the "String Trimmer" and "Powerwagon".

These gizzmos take 4-D cells, are suppose to last 4-6 months and give off a high pitched sound, (300Mz) that chases the damm diggers away, in a 800+ square foot area. We are willing try anything. It will be a few days before I know if they are working but I will pass the word one way or the other. I have had a DR. Powerwagon to abuse for 3 years and it has proven itself,if these thing are anywhere near as good,I'll be happy.

-- Hendo (redgate@echoweb.net), May 26, 2000

Answers

We've set traps - both leghold and a live box. We've trained the dog that killing ground squirrels is good. I've fenced everything on the place with buried L-shaped 1" chicken wire left floppy on top. The neighbors think they're "cute", so she feeds them (and they'll multiply according to their food supply). I've threatened to impale their little heads on popsicle sticks all around the garden! (my husband doesn't think that would be such a good idea) The latest idea, which I haven't tried yet, is JuicyFruit gum. You open up a stick and without touching it (hold it by the wrapper), drop it into their burrow. Supposedly, they like the taste but can't digest it, so die. Or did you just want to drive them away? If so, sorry to vent so, but those little creatures will destroy everything if they get the chance. I've lost every one of my tulips and grape hyacinths this year (someone told me to plant onions with the flower bulbs), and now I've caught squirrels stealing eggs out of the chicken coop!

-- Sadge (firesignfarm@hotmail.com), May 26, 2000.

Hendo, our next door neighbors (5 acres away) are using either that device or something very similar. They swear by it. We have been going crazy with those *()#&* creatures for the last couple of years. I was concerned that the moles would move over here, as we share a common pasture line, but I haven't seen them. Ours have moved further down the hill, I guess toward more water and more worms? We had a terrible time with creatures. They made holes and mounds all over the pasture, and where the dirt was bare, we got tons of Canadian thistle, and other weeds. I detest those things. Let us know how you do! (p.s. only live traps work around here, it would seem. We used to have a guy around who would kill them and nail them up on your shed for a head count so you could pay him. How attractive!)

BTW, our five cats take care of the voles and other smaller critters.

-- sheepish (rborgo@gte.net), May 26, 2000.

Sadge,

Try planting daffodils with your other flower bulbs. Granny had a row of them by the garden, swore that moles and other burrowing critters wouldn't dig through them. Can't swear by the efficacy of this method, as I personally have cats who do a fine job of controlling mine. When I can get the @#%%! dogs to leave the cats alone. It's the 2 - two year old male dogs - I know they've killed a couple of adults, no telling how many kittens. My personal choice is to shoot the dogs. Any other suggestions?

-- Polly (tigger@moultrie.com), May 26, 2000.

Get a terrier! I have a Jack Russel that kills or drives back every little vermin that ventures onto our homestead. She had some trouble with some squirrels last year, but was soooo persistent she won in the end. Nothing smaller than her (14 lbs) is safe, unless we tell her they are OUR ducklings, then she nervously lets them do what they may! Smart and efficient, that's what I like in a dog. We had horrible lawn damage from voles before we got her. Now none. Worth considering if you can stand the breed. Jill

-- Jill Schreiber (schreiber@santanet.com), May 27, 2000.

Get a Beagle. They are good family pets, good with children and the moles, Etc were gone in less than a month.

-- john a maughan (jmaughan@mmcable .com), May 27, 2000.

I wonder whether bait dipped in automotive antifreeze[ethylene glycol] would work??A Mennonite farmer suggested dipping apple chunks in that and dropping it down chuck holes.Not pretty,but neither is varmint damage.

-- Karl (fritz@hotmail.com), May 29, 2000.

I've also heard that putting the bodies of the ones you have killed down the holes helps drive them off.

-- Novina West (lamb@stellarnet.com), May 30, 2000.

Polly, they didn't touch the daffodils, but the ground squirrels dug up every other bulb I had. The grape hyacinths had been naturalizing for the past 12 years, but they got every single one this year for some reason. These creatures dig down to each bulb from above ground, not from tunnels. So far, daffodils are immune.

-- Sadge (firesignfarm@hotmail.com), May 31, 2000.

fhdkfdkshf hdhk wewesodasdod.

-- shell (shell111@hotmail.com), June 01, 2000.

I have used castor oil, which makes the roots taste bad, lightly sprayed on the soil surface and in the hole prior to planting. This works, but only for 2-3 months, then you must respray. I bought my castor oil at a garden supply shop. Probably get it cheaper some place else. I'm gonna try th eultrasound because I keep forgetting to spray the castor oil and end up loosin' plants.

-- Karl (karlthor@aol.com), December 08, 2001.