A lesson learned

[Ray Dunakin]

Keeping squirrels, skunks, possums and cats out my tunnels is a never ending battle. Last summer I decided to try a pepper-based animal repellent that I found at Home Depot. It looks kind of like coffee grounds, but is made from various peppers with added capcsicum (the stuff in pepper spray). I spread liberal amounts inside the two tunnels where most of the problems were occurring, and sprinkled some at the portals of the other tunnels. 

 

It seemed to work pretty well during the summer, and the peppery smell was more acceptable to humans than the mothballs I'd previously used. But after the first rain in the fall, the stuff inside the tunnels sprouted a thick mat of white mold and began to emit a powerful stench of decay. Eventually this turned to a thick, smelly black glop that would serve as a suitable substitute for dog poop, if such a thing was ever needed.

 

So today I opened up the tunnels, scooped out as much of the glop as possible, and hosed out most of the rest. I'll stick to mothballs in the future.

 

 

[dougdagrump]

Ray, Would a liberal dose of bleach killed and cleaned up most of your "science experiment" ?

[ttrigg]

Ray: I've been using "Granulated Fox Urine" for some time now. Little bit goes a long way. Almost undetectable by human, but very effective for small rodents. One application lasts about 10~12 days. Available from local feed and grain. I get mine from Hawthorns in Escondido.