Lawncare owners face damage from burrowing animals
29 posts across 4 communities in the last 30 days; 59% from r/lawncare.
“In the birding sub, I actually said I was considering a pellet gun for a squirrel problem. I was absolutely blasted in the comments, called a psychopath, and down voted to hell. I support you. [re: I need help with a persistent squirrel.]”
“Alright, the area next to my patio used to have grass. A critter turned it straight into mud. The critter is visible in this photo. (He's nuts) 105 pound German shepherd originally bred for military work. I tried putting down stone, but that was a fail. (The person helping me…”
“I am in Pennsylvania and I have a wildlife problem I can’t seem to figure out. I think I have skunks and raccoons based on the damage, turf pulled up & conical holes. I put bio advanced 24 hour grub killer down & Repels All around the perimeter of the yard. It worked for about 4…”
Several posts describe frustration with unidentified animals digging up lawns and gardens, causing significant property damage. Owners are seeking solutions to deter the creatures without resorting to illegal or harmful methods.
SOURCES (60)
“They are just the rats of the trees. Better hope you don't have one of the cars that the wires are tasty to them. [re: Holes all over lawn]”
“In the birding sub, I actually said I was considering a pellet gun for a squirrel problem. I was absolutely blasted in the comments, called a psychopath, and down voted to hell. I support you. [re: I need help with a persistent squirrel.]”
“Alright, the area next to my patio used to have grass. A critter turned it straight into mud. The critter is visible in this photo. (He's nuts) 105 pound German shepherd originally bred for military work. I tried putting down stone, but that was a fail. (The person helping me did a half assed job and all the ones they did lost level in the first rain) So I was going to put down grass mats, unfortunately to cover what I need will be about $1800. (There's a second area with the same issue)”
“I am in Pennsylvania and I have a wildlife problem I can’t seem to figure out. I think I have skunks and raccoons based on the damage, turf pulled up & conical holes. I put bio advanced 24 hour grub killer down & Repels All around the perimeter of the yard. It worked for about 4 days then they were back in the exact same 2 large areas. I repeated the process thinking rain had interfered the first time. Same thing, it worked for 4-5 days then they were back. They only dig in these 2 areas”
“🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 [re: What animal tore up my lawn overnight? Hundreds of small holes appeared after heavy rain (Brick, NJ)]”
“If you are in armadillo country, they love to do this. [re: What animal tore up my lawn overnight? Hundreds of small holes appeared after heavy rain (Brick, NJ)]”
“If it’s dillers, then line up some 2x4 to funnel them in the trap. Or just get a motion activated light and shoot them [re: DFW, TX Armadillo shredding yard]”
“I found his lair. The varmit hat been shredding my yard and the neighbors on each side. I guess none of us put down grub killer this year. Mine is treated now. Anyway, found its Burrow hole under an AC pad. I blocked it off right into a trap. Will report when it is successful submitted by /u/Ki77ycat [link] [comments]”
“Gopher creating holes in yard. Any suggestions? Is there a way to fix these holes? submitted by /u/Momof2gg [link] [comments]”
“Wow; guessing that was from a racoon family or something, for that much damage. [re: Holes in my lawn]”
“That’s a funny brand name. Yeah or just the large game shit smell Makes them weary”
“What animal am I dealing with digging these holes in my yard? In Kansas City, MO submitted by /u/diy3970 [link] [comments]”
“I’ve used two of those sound-emitting spikes in my yard and it seems to have stopped them. I bought the batteries from harbor freight last year and they’re still going strong.”
“Made the mistake of touching the scat and it's pretty large, much bigger than mice. submitted by /u/brownoarsman [link] [comments]”
“That looks like squirrels busy burying shit. I find them every morning in my overseeed. They love the soft soil.”
“She has a creek on her property the beavers are always trying to dam off. She puts the used cat litter in areas on land near the place they want to dam. There is a little bridge. Under it is a cement hole, really big one, beavers try to close up. It is very difficult to clear by hand after they build a damn.”
“There are so many posts about critter guards being worth it or not, but so few people give context about where they live. I'm in the Philly suburbs in a wooded area, but my property only has one tree actually close to the house. I don't think pigeons would be a problem, but squirrels could be. Ideally I want to hear from people in similar areas if you bought them and have had issues, or if you haven't bought them and haven't had issues. My solar rep is saying they haven't had”
clearly you need more dogs that have a stronger hunting drive.
“The texture of my grass that is over drainage pipes makes it hard to discern the varmints path. Can only feel it caving in underfoot.”
“Skunks and raccoons are NOT rodents! They're in the superfamily Musteloidea, which also includes red pandas, coatis, badgers, otters and weasels. Specifically skunks are mephitids and raccoons are procyonids within the superfamily. Opossums aren't close to rodents even. they're Marsupials.”
“I had both, they're very similar. Normally you'll see more extensive damage with skunks in general, whereas raccoons will go for the easy meal. With that being freshly laid sod, it could be either”
“Wat TF? Can I dump chili powder to keep them out? Don't have a cat or dog to chase them out. Aeration and fall fert tomorrow, don't want to waste my time if critters going to keep tearing it up. Zone 6B SW Ohio submitted by /u/suttertm [link] [comments]”
“Ours disappeared for a while, but then came back. I wonder if we had a snake. We have a hawk land in the yard once in a while, but they seem ineffective. They’re cute, but I also have a step that’s sinking.”
“When I installed an electric fence around my landscaping, the team of raccoons found something to lay across it to insulate one of them who then unplugged the transformer! They are very intelligent and determined critters with hands that can do anything you can do.”
“I put inexpensive solar motion lights all around the perimeter of my yard. The skunks don’t like the sudden bright light and stopped coming around. I no longer see them on my security cameras. The sudden bright light coming on bothers their sensitive eyes. A regular light left on will not have the same effect on them. I bought the lights on Amazon.”
“It's moles for me. Not sure why they like my lawn so much as my neighbors never seem to get em. I was always told they were mostly solitary creatures, but my cat brought me 10 last year plus the 1 I managed to get with a gopherhawk. Still found a ton of mole hills popping up over the season.”
“Deer fencing staked into the ground. It's a plastic mesh, so they can't climb it.”
“I wish mine would, I had to call my dog off a groundhog because it was fighting back so hard. She's a lab but the groundhogs here are mutants, never seen them so big. There's a male living under our barn that's got to be close to 20lb. I need a bigger dog!”
“You got grubs. That's what killed your grass and that's why some type of varmint made Swiss cheese out of your "lawn".”
“One of my customers has motion sensitive sentry turret sprinklers. They definitely work”
“Squirrels make the exact same type holes in my lawn just not as concentrated. They only scratch up my newly seeded spots over, and over, and over again and it's led to me pulling my pellet gun from storage.”
Didn't know dogs liked rocks. Will have to try that. Thanks!
“I’d like to buy one too, but will it work around people or children running and playing in the garden?”
“squirrels in norcal No grubs, just looking for maybe, just maybe previously buried loot.. they are a constant and I'm on day 2 of my finished reseeding project, and I keep chasing them away, front and back yards.. But yes, as I've stated before, my wife feeds the lil f%cks, so she is def conspiring with the enemy”
“Ohmygosh! The groundhog menace is REAL! My Dad had a mini farm. And a family of groundhogs moved in. They tunneled under the house. Into the hill in front of the house. It got so bad, he got worried about the stability of the ground under the house. So he got these smoke things that are supposed to go into the hole and smoke them out. No matter how many tunnels he blocked, there were always more. He spent YEARS battling those things. And they stole so much produce. Which he wouldn't really h”
That’s a Dillo. I’ve been battling one for a few weeks now
“Squirrels do this to my yard everyday. We have opossums, skunks, raccoons, and squirrel. 7a”
“I have a large, guard-breed dog who will never stop loudly telling us there are weird animal invaders in the backyard, and my wife and I both work from home. That’s the big concern.”
“Thanks all. Some very good advice I a few posts below. I will get going on a few of them. Thanks again!”
“It sucks that you’d have to do this at your expense, but you could use these. They go in the ground and prevent animals from digging under. https://www.chewy.com/dig-defence-no-dig-max-protection-dog/dp/856022?utm\_source=google-product&utm\_medium=cpc&utm\_campaign=20196576200&utm\_content=&gad\_source=1&gad\_campaignid=20199950065&gbraid=0AAAAADmQ2V1YpWEpNP-4dGOOYXVjPS6hN&gclid=CjwKCAjwtp7VBhBjEiwAJfpV-yQM4ReeZ3-6NxfB0gi-S2y3mmB9rCJDfQS7fhs3Je1WVlFrTLiVVRoCUawQAvD\_”
“Animal control has been involved previously due the the lack of care. When they came to revisit she had got rid of them. They only came back within the last year. She hides them with family when they are involved. They aren't neutered, she had previously stated she won't be and un-neutered dogs are a threat to neutered ones. My dog hasn't got the same fear reaction to the neutered dog on the other side. They are locked outside all day in absolute filth and bored so dig. she has not a”
“My neighbours 2 golden retrievers keep digging under my fence. My garden is my joy and they've completely destroyed a few plants as a result... I can see right through to her side. They're not neutered so my dog is now terrified to go outside too. She's been approached a couple of times and did nothing... her garden is an absolute kip so doubt she cares. I filled what I could with rocks and soil. They've now got those out and are continuing to dig. I've put pepper down and ci”
“What infernal critter is g doing this? They are trying to trench all the way around my foundation. I've seen a couple rabbits in the yard. No groundhog sightings. How the kill them? And what to do to keep them from digging. Having a real Carl Spackler moment here. Considering dynamite /s North Texas. Slab concrete foundation reinforced with piers installed recently. submitted by /u/Effective_Grass8355 [link] [comments]”
“Wasn’t sure exactly where to post this. But figured I’d try here first. Decent sized hole being dug under this bush. submitted by /u/Sandman052 [link] [comments]”