<p>jym - try this:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009057267_websquirrels15m.html]Rodenator[/url”>http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009057267_websquirrels15m.html]Rodenator[/url</a>]</p>
<p>that’ll cure your chipmunk probelm ;)</p>
<p>Theoretically, mothballs should survive light rain.</p>
<p>I have all sorts of little critters around my yard. </p>
<p>I expect reactions like I read in this thread but it’s really too bad.</p>
<p>These are animals and they do what they do as animals. You call them vermin because they’re not your pets and you don’t kill your pets when they scratch the doors or vomit on the rugs. </p>
<p>What the world needs is more tolerance and less “those darn pests made a hole” or “ate a bit of wood.” The birds crap on the windows so we should kill the birds. The opossums dig in the garbage so we should kill the opossums. The deer eat the plants so we should kill the deer. </p>
<p>I don’t expect anyone to change their minds but, my God, a little damage from nature is worth having the animals in this world. If you start killing them off because you don’t want them in your yard, then it becomes you don’t want them in your town, in your area, anywhere. But then people are inherently selfish and they would rather eliminate something that troubles them rather than learn to live with it. I sometimes feel that way about people.</p>
<p>Lergmom - I live next to a small retention pond that has also been designated as a wetlands. We see all kinds of critters, from deer to fox and coyotes, snapping turtles, opossums, skunks, ducks, squirrels, geese, etc. I have no problem with any of them, until they start causing damage to my lawn/home that costs me money. Before we take the cover off of our pool every year and there’s just a small amount of water on it, I often see the birds using it as a birdbath. I have no problem with it… they’re not causing damage.</p>
<p>As I look out my window while I’m typing this, I can see an egret, ducks, geese and squirrels. I enjoy watching them, but if they start causing damage, I will do whatever it takes to keep them out of my yard. By the way, the coyotes are known to attack and kill small dogs around here, too.</p>
<p>I miss our chipmunks. We used to have lots. Then we got a puppy and they seem to have moved out. If jym doesn’t have a dog maybe that would do the trick.</p>
<p>Ditto what teriwtt said, except that I don’t live near wetlands. There are retention ponds built in the neighborhoods, and there is a lake in our neighborhood, but I don’t live on/near either of those. Lergnom-- take a deep breath. Have you read the thread? We are discussing humane ways to sent the pests, and yes they are pests, elsewhere. We arent talking about one hole. We are talking about many many MANY holes that are causing damage to the foundation of our house. Do you use a pest control service or termite service, or do you just let the termites eat your house for lunch? Do you use something on your skin to repel mosquitos, or do you let them feast on you when you are outdoors? We are not obligated to let these critters run our lives. We can coexist, with some modifications.</p>
<p>And yes, I call them vermin because thats what they are. They carry disease. They are not contained in a cage. They are not tame. And they were not brought willingly into my home. They are not pets. They are pests. Last year there were less, and I wasn’t aware of the destructive nature of their behavior. They are no longer cute. They are annoyances. If you’d like them, I’ll happily send them your way.</p>
<p>LOL, bunsenburner! But pyrotechnics are out of my comfort zone.</p>
<p>And no, we no longer have a dog. He died several years ago. I considered getting another but unfortunately younger s has developed a pretty bad allergy to cats and dogs (or their dander, I assume) so am not going to bring a dog into the house at this point. I was going to pet sit for a friends dog this weekend. DS asked me not to, given his worsening allergies. Gotta respect his wishes. Maybe I’ll let him try blasting the critters! He’d enjoy that!</p>
<p>A couple of things we’ve had luck with are dried blood meal (good nitrogen source for your lawn and garden, too) and Shake-Away (or similar), which is dried fox (&/or other predator’s) urine. Both are best used at the perimeter of your property unless the odor doesn’t bother you. I can’t be within 20 ft. of the stuff but dh can’t smell them unless he’s inches away. You will need to reapply after a heavy storm, but it seems that eventually the pests relocate and you’re fine until next year. Most hardware/garden stores carry them.</p>
<p>I’ve read that baby powder keeps away chipmunks and squirrels, too. Our only problem with squirrels has been in the attic; dh trapped a flying squirrel recently using a Hav-a-hart trap and a peanut butter cracker. I now spray our attics with peppermint and use baby powder & Borax around the perimeter of the house. The powder & Borax seem to cut down on ants, roaches and scorpions. </p>
<p>Good luck!</p>
<p>Not familiar with blood meal-- what is that? But if it smells the way the Shake-Away does, cant use those, as these buggers are all around the fronto of my house and front stoop. Dont think I could stand that. </p>
<p>Havent tried baby powder. Would I have to mix it in the soil or just dump down the holes? Did use borax whenI was in grad school for palmetto bugs. That worked. </p>
<p>Where do you get peppermint spray?</p>
<p>I think that Lergmom and I just wish everyone could try and get along with the critters of the world. The wild areas are shrinking and humans keep building their homes in the animals’ environments. Where I live, everyone gets riled up about gophers, well, that is what you get for living in a former field. I hope the baby powder works for you.</p>
<p>sounds like you got something interesting to eat in your neighborhood. Sunflowers and birdseed?</p>
<p>Just read that rolled up strips of juicy fruit gum works on getting rid of moles. I’m going to try this on my ground squirrels. Perhaps your chipmunks will also be attracted?</p>
<p>Meanwhile, anyone have any suggestions for getting rid of ducks? We’ve been inundated by mallards this year . . . they love our pool and are trying to turn it into a pond. I’m ready to buy bbs and do something illegal.</p>
<p>I was horrified when my husband set up the plank and buket system in our yard and even more so when he retrieved the cute little things that fell inside of it. I must admit that I did have flowers last year.</p>
<p>I am not ready to go the plank and bucket route yet, but I also dont want my house and foundation destroyed. Its not like this house or this subdivision was just built yesterday in their terrain. Its been here for almost 25 years. They gotta go. If we are going to go back in time to the days even before this was farmland (thats what this neighborhood was- and the children and grandchildren of the owner of the farm live here- they are grown), I suppose we should consider having to give the land back to the native americans too. </p>
<p>I see this as no different from putting out citronella to deter the mosquitos. Sure, we can coexist with animals. Thats all well and good. But there is undeveloped land with lots of plants and flowers for them to take up residence, not at the expense of my foundation. Sorry. I “coexisted” with them last year. This year they are destructive, and they are getting their walking papers. This isn’t about paving paradise and putting up a parking lot-- its about home maintenance and safety. Oh great- I’ll have Joni Mitchell songs running through my head today.</p>
<p>beawinner-
Are you saying to put rolled up sticks of gum in the holes? Maybe its the smell, similar to the cinnamon. I am getting ready to make a spray bottle of peppermint extract and water or hotsauce if I continue to see them. Baby powder will be a last resort, as it will probably blow away.</p>
<p>If anyone would like the little varmints, they are welcome to come rescue them. They are cuter than having rats or mice. But they are kissing cousins.</p>
<p>momma-three - How many ended up swimming in the bucket? I have no clue how many are living under my house. I really dont want to do that. I just want to give them their walking papers. I have to wonder if some neighbor down the street did the same thing and they moved up the street to my house. Time to evict them and let them keep on truckin’ (ok - now have Eddie Kendricks song running in my head too)</p>
<p>Longprime- No birdseed or pumpkin seeds here. But they have continued to come up onto my front stoop and eat the flowers that were there. I keep seeing the dirt dug up and strewn on the brick. I thought the gardeners were doing something til I kept spotting the chipmunks! The flowers are now down on the lawn-- with mothballs in the dirt. Havent seen any critters yet this morning-- but I smell mothballs when I walk by the front door. Definitely preferred over the smell of fox urine. Now theres a job I would not like-- collecting fox urine.</p>
<p>Grrr-- one was just on the stoop. Found my peppermint extract, but I dont have much left. Off to search the internet for a “recipe” and then to the store later today after work. Still have 1/2 box of mothballs left from the 2 boxes I bought. This critter ran to the side of my house that has harder bushes for me to get behind. But I will get there.</p>
<p>What Ihave is peppermint extract. Sites online says I need peppermint oil. Where do I buy that?</p>
<p>We used to have a lot of chipmunks in our shrubs which drove the dog crazy. They seemed to disappear when the big snake arrived. I would rather have the chipmunks.</p>
<p>jym626 - most likely a health food store. However, I can get it from my massage therapist as she sells all kinds of essential oils. If you can find someone who does aromatherapy, they probably have some; it’s just a matter of finding someone who sells it and doesn’t just have it on hand for their clients.</p>
<p>Blood meal is just dried blood (often from cows) that’s used to add nitrogen to the soil. It doesn’t smell quite as bad as fox urine, but it’s not pleasant. Since your problem is near the entrance you’ll probably want to stick with peppermint oil spray (I buy tiny bottles of the oil at health food stores or from candle/aromatherapy supply stores online), and other less offensive (to humans) approaches. The peppermint oil spray seems to last longer than other home remedies, but all need to be reapplied after a storm. </p>
<p>I’ve read that certain plants repel critters. Some are onions (probably not what you want to grow by the front door), daffodils, mint, and lavender. You can also bury chicken wire just above your other bulbs, or make a cage of wire mesh when you plant bulbs next fall.</p>
<p>At a previous house, we had a motion-activated sprayer hooked up to a hose. It kept the squirrels and other critters away from our bird feeders. I ordered it online & think it was only $40 or so. More recently I bought a motion-activated owl. : ) It’s amazingly realistic looking (from a distance), and it turns its head and hoots when the sensor is triggered. It seems to be keeping the flying squirrels off our roof.</p>
<p>^^ Those are all great ideas, silpat!! Wonder if houseguests would freak if an owl hoots at them when they come to the front door!</p>
<p>There used to be a healthfood store right by our house, but it went out of business. There may still be one not far from my office, but I havent been by there in a while. I could also check whole foods, or the massage therapist, but Ihavent been to her in a while, so I might need to make an appointment. Not a bad thing…</p>
<p>On humane traps: in many areas it is illegal to relocate rodents. </p>
<p>As for the red ants, I don’t get a lot of ant nests but the few that I do get, I’ve eradicated by pouring in a pot of boiling water with a bit of detergent in it. The detergent lowers the surface tension of the water and makes it more likely to enter the ants’ spiracles (through which they obtain oxygen).</p>
<p>Chipmunks can erode a foundation quickly. My choice there would be to borrow a terrier from someone for a few days.</p>