Mystery Predator

[crazy huhn]

Welcome to my world........

Just killed 4 rats in one week. Guess thats what you have, too. Traps with lots pf peanut butter did it for us.........Good luck!

 

[lleighmay]

I don't think so- every experience I've had as a lifelong wildlife rehabber indicates that possums won't go underground even in tunnels something else created. Other animals I can think of (including foxes, coyotes) will use other creatures' tunnels but you would not have had any chickens left if they had gotten in the coop. I still think rats are your best(worst) bet.

 

[kobesmom81]

Just got traps! Can't wait to catch the sucker!

 

[lleighmay]

Let us know how the traps worked out- I hope you caught some!

 

[kyle7630]

Instead of water down the hole, try smoke. If you pump enough down the hole, you should be able to see where it comes out. Rats were eating a friends dog food and we found a hole near the bin. We built a small fire from fire wood, let it get good and hot, and kept putting some wet pine branches on it for good smoke. We made a make shift hood from a 55 gallon drum turned on end, ran a hose from the drum to a pump for an air mattress, and another hose from there down the hole. After a while, we could see smoke coming up from other holes in the network and we could see rats coming out like crazy. Got the 22 and had a blast! I know it sounds like alot of work, but it did the job.

 

[bennnn]

old school cherry smoke bombs work reall good for that too, you just have to use a lot of them.

I did something kind of off the wall this summer when I found what looked like a big network of holesa in my yard, I live out in the country on a very private lot,,, I drove my old trash hauling pick-up out onto the lawn and used a band clamp to hook a length of dryer ho9se to the exaust of the truck,, and then I just went hole to hole and let it run for a while,, I had a few rats run out and get popped with .22 shotshells,, but less than I expected,,, I guess the die hards breathed it untill they died underground...

Less rats,, yay!

 

[Chickenfortress]

fyi, i have possums that lived underground. They took over a woodchuck tunnel. Gopher bombs took rapid care of that problem. I have also witnessed them emerging from and entering sewers. I'd say sewers count as a tunnel.

Gopher bombs are available at decent nurseries. Most any yard care department will have them as well. Here in Nebraska, the wal-mart has them. It's a smoke bomb that emits sulphurous smoke (or other irritant) in a large amount.

 

[NancyDz]

A smoker used for honeybees might work too. It would probably take awhile though.
I use one when my dogs get hit by skunks. Blowing that smoke on their fur ( careful around the face!)
gets rid of the skunk smell. A smoked dog smells much better than a skunked dog!

Good luck getting the rats! Sorry bout your chicks!

I lived in Atwater when I was a kid for a few years ( dad in AF)


Nancy

 

[VaM715]

Road flares. They burn forever and produce ALOT of smoke. and the burn with out alot of oxygen. I thrown them down grondhog holes and shovel dirt in the hole and watch for smoke from other exits. Fillem in and poof, no more critters. Get them at any auto parts store, TSC, etc. and they are cheap