Got something in our crawl space

[easysurfer]

Thanks to all who responded here. I found a pretty large hole in the eave and called a control service who are coming out this pm to inspect. Whatever it is chewed thru the eave as we have bits and pieces of the eave and installation on the roof which means it is a recently made hole. Based on when we hear the noises (early am), the expert mentioned it is probably squirrels.

Will keep ya all posted.

Ah..squirrels probably..that's good.

Hopefully, not something like this:

Capybara: Rodent Sighted in California; 'Chupacabra' Pictures From Maryland - ABC News

 

[Queenie]

OMG! I wish I hadn't read this thread tonight. Has given me the creeps, and my brother is working and won't be home till the morning. I don't know how you all can talk about rodents, bugs, lions, tigers and bears so calmly and matter of factly... Geez, they are right in your house! Now if I hear anything going bump in the night or scratchy scratchy, I will end up probably fleeing from the house screaming. I really don't like making a spectacle of myself...

 

[Gumby]

Mothballs in the attic have solved the problem for us.

 

[golfnut]

Well, the expert just left our house. He found racoon fur and droppings on our roof. He went ahead and set a trap up against the hole in the eave. He baited it with a combo of fish oil and cat food. Must be a racoon cavier!

Hopefully, we'll have a trapped racoon by tomoorow a.m. Apparently, it will be euthanized upon capture.

 

[golfnut]

Well we got ourselves a big racoon in a trap!

 

[REWahoo]

That was quick...

 

[gromit]

Wow. Good you had a pro for that. Don't want to confront or corner a raccoon on your own.

 

[golfnut]

Hopefully, it's only one critter we need to deal with. It was definitely quick. Fish oil/cat food must be the ticket!

 

[Nords]

She said that skunks particularly do not not like the bass portion of music. To get rid of skunks hanging around in the yard she suggested playing bass music for a few nights and they will move on. Maybe it works, but I like the trapping idea better. Besides, the music might attract teenagers, another pest that will eat you out of house and home.

Judging from my experience, Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly are unfortunately at least as effective against teenagers as well...

I tossed 4-6 mothballs right around him and left the whole box within 1 ft of the skunk. I walked away and the skunk left about 3 minutes later and hasn't returned.

I'm amazed that a skunk could be driven off by a noxious odor.

 

[Dimsumkid]

I'm amazed that a skunk could be driven off by a noxious odor.

Just a few days ago, a rabbit came along and decided to check out my mothballs, I couldn't see everything he did, but he either tried to taste a mothball or tried to chew the almost full mothball box! Not sure why he wasn't bothered by the stench as he hung around sniffing them for a good 5 minutes.

 

[MichaelB]

Well we got ourselves a big racoon in a trap!

Way to go! Good thing you didn't send the yorky. Did the trapper say if it was female? You will want to seal the hole in the eave but not until you're sure there are no more critters.

 

[golfnut]

Way to go! Good thing you didn't send the yorky. Did the trapper say if it was female? You will want to seal the hole in the eave but not until you're sure there are no more critters.

The raccoon was caught around 8:30 so it was already nightfall. The critter will have to cool it jets until tomorrow am when the trapper comes back. Could be a loud evening on our roof!

 

[Nords]

The critter will have to cool it jets until tomorrow am when the trapper comes back. Could be a loud evening on our roof!

And an epically fecal one as well...

 

[MichaelB]

The raccoon was caught around 8:30 so it was already nightfall. The critter will have to cool it jets until tomorrow am when the trapper comes back. Could be a loud evening on our roof!

And an epically fecal one as well...

Better on the roof than in the attic. Easier to sleep tonight and clean tomorrow.

 

[DangerMouse]

The other thing to get rid of skunks is apparently ammonia and they do not like the smell of coffee so put out empty coffee cans.

We were hoping to be able to eliminate Big Momma skunk before we put out the deterrents but if we don't trap her soon that will be our Plan B.

 

[JPatrick]

The other thing to get rid of skunks is apparently ammonia and they do not like the smell of coffee so put out empty coffee cans.
.

Which apparently explains why I have never seen a skunk in Starbucks..

You guys have got some pretty cultured critters in your area. Moth balls, music, coffee cans..
The only thing our critters respond to is the sound of that steel cage door slamming down behind them....Or the feel of a bullet..........ah well I'll skip that one, the kids may still be up.

 

[DangerMouse]

Well we caught Mamma Skunk tonight and she managed to escape from the cage. She is a clever clogs, rolled the cage and escaped. I could hear the noise from inside so put on my Davy Crockett cap and went to check. Was definitely her as she left traces of her calling cards.

I can see why peeps use the bullet option, every time we get the exterminator out to take away the skunks we have trapped it costs $125 a pop.

 

[JPatrick]

Well we caught Mamma Skunk tonight and she managed to escape from the cage. She is a clever clogs, rolled the cage and escaped. I could hear the noise from inside so put on my Davy Crockett cap and went to check. Was definitely her as she left traces of her calling cards.

I can see why peeps use the bullet option, every time we get the exterminator out to take away the skunks we have trapped it costs $125 a pop.

Skunks are real fighters as opposed to the possum we caught yesterday. After being given his release/parole papers, he gave us the "I'll go when I'm ready" look, and proceeded to nap for 3 hours before walking out.
Some traps/cages, are constructed in a manner that rolling them releases the lock unless some simple after market mods are used. That can be a handy feature for easy release of the critter, but not so good if the critter read the manual..

 

[youbet]

I can see why peeps use the bullet option, every time we get the exterminator out to take away the skunks we have trapped it costs $125 a pop.

That's why I trap myself, despite the questionable legal status of doing so here in the Chicago burbs. I've taken away dozens of animals and just couldn't afford to pay those kind of bills for someone else to do it.


FYI, there are traps which work similarly to Hav-A-Heart traps but are constructed of 8 inch diameter PVC pipe meant to be used for skunks. Apparently, the skunks are not put off by going into the narrow tube and once trapped can't raise their back end to spray. Or, if they were able to squeeze of a squirt, it's inside a solid tube instead of a cage.

Our issues are generally with possums, racoons and squirrels, so I've been doing OK with the Hav-A-Heart style so far.

 

[Brat]

We were hoping to be able to eliminate Big Momma skunk before we put out the deterrents but if we don't trap her soon that will be our Plan B.

Please trap that skunk because you may be my daughter's neighbor!

 

[TromboneAl]

We had squirrels in a rental house years ago and a couple of moth balls got rid of them.

You thought it was difficult to get your dog to swallow a pill!

But seriously, I just learned that use of moth balls is illegal!

Mothballs should not be used inside
attics, wall voids, crawl spaces, gardens,
trash cans, or vehicles. Often, mothballs
are used in these locations in an effort
to control some pest other than clothes
moths. These pests include squirrels,
skunks, deer, mice, rats, dogs, cats,
raccoons, moles, snakes, pigeons, and a
variety of other animals. Any such use
is illegal. Since mothballs are registered
pesticides, it is illegal to use them in
locations that are not on the label.

​

Rodent Strobe Is How to Get Rid of Squirrels, Get Rid of Rats Naturally.

 

[REWahoo]

But seriously, I just learned that use of moth balls is illegal!

I'll be sure to watch the local news for critter-chasers doing the perp walk after being arrested by the mothball police...

 

[JPatrick]

If you are --
ANTI GUNS - TRAPS - MOTH BALLS - HIGH COST EXTERMINATORS

Then give posters a try...

 

[Purron]

the mothball police...

.backed up by the:

 

[golfnut]

Way to go! Good thing you didn't send the yorky. Did the trapper say if it was female? You will want to seal the hole in the eave but not until you're sure there are no more critters.

The racoon was a young male. Trapper reset the trap to see if there are anymore critters. Keepin our fingers crossed it is one and out.