Help me identify this animal we've not seen

November 5, 2009 5:23 PM

What is living in my yard and what do I do about it?

I live in Central IL. Lately our dogs (chihuahua) have been acting weird around our bushes next to our back deck, acting like they see something from the deck and then running around to bark at the bushes. We've heard no noises coming back from the bushes but we figured something was living there.

Tonight it happened again and we investigated the exact location and found two holes in the ground. One is a hole straight down and about two inches in diameter. The other hole, about 3 feet away, is more slanted downward at a slope and is much larger, five inches in diameter.

These holes are right by the foundation of our house.

What do we have there, and what do we do about it? And what is our least expensive option to fix this situation?

Finally, based on this information, how worried should we be that something will attack our chihuahua?

(As an aside, in the field behind our yard we saw a baby possum that our dogs barked at. We haven't seen them in our yard but it's the only "critter" type thing we've seen lately other than rabbits which we do see in our yard from time to time).

posted by bodgy to pets & animals (12 comments total)

It's likely possums... they're very active right now, and you'll probably see them after dark climbing trees or skulking around. I'm not sure if the holes are related. It could also be field mice out scavenging and rattling the fallen leaves. As far as a fix, we don't know if you're in the suburbs or the country, or what your property is like, whether you have fences, etc, and all that has a bearing on your options.
posted by crapmatic at 6:11 PM on November 5

Hmmm, I am stumped. Some types of spiders fashion a home/lair for themselves in holes about like that, but I am no expert on that and I bet it is not spiders that are making your dog excited.
My guess on the cause of the excitement from pooch is one or another type of wildlife critter that you mention.
You may want to call a pest control guy (the type that remove racoons from fireplaces and such) and run this past him?
posted by bebrave! at 6:11 PM on November 5

Possums tend to move through areas and not really stay long term. Possums are also semi-arboreal and not burrowers. So, I think you can safely rule them out.

I wonder if you have rats nesting in your yard. I would call in an exterminator and avoid putting D-con or other poisons or traps out that your dogs could get into.
posted by onhazier at 6:14 PM on November 5

We live kind of in the country...there's houses all around us but a big cornfield behind our house. Our yard is fenced and it keeps our chihuahuas in but doesn't stop smaller animals, and we've seen squirrels walk along the top of the fence several times.

I hate to pay a rodent removal service if not needed... We DO have spiders all around (spider webs populate our yard) so perhaps the smaller hole is spiders, but the larger one certainly can't be spiders.
posted by bodgy at 6:14 PM on November 5

We live a bit north of you, but have seen holes like this in our front garden. IIRC, the only animals I saw go in or out of those holes were chipmunks. Our dog gets absolutely crazed when he spies a chipmunk. Of course, he's a terrier and the chipmunk is a rodent so you'd expect him to get really worked up about it. But it seems that all types of dogs gets excited about small wild animals; it's a doggy thing.
posted by DrGail at 6:32 PM on November 5

I've seen skunks dig similar holes around this time of year in rural southeast Michigan. I think they do it to look for delicious grubs, though I've never seen them quite that close to the house. Is the ground covered by turf or plant detritus such that it could support grubs? Do you have Japanese beetles in the summer?
posted by pullayup at 6:33 PM on November 5

It sounds exactly like a chipmunk hole, to me. Skunks need bigger holes, and usually appropriate one made by a woodchuck.

As far as "fixing the situation" goes, other than your dogs getting excited, there's nothing to fix, it's just natural wildlife doing no particular harm. If you poison, shoot or kidnap whatever is there, others will take their place.
posted by beagle at 7:00 PM on November 5 [1 favorite]

We get small holes like that every so often in a more northernly Illinois location, and they have always been inhabited by chipmunks. In fact, I have such a hole between my back door porch and foundation now, wherein dwells a chipmunk. We have had one hole with an entrance as large as the 5-inch one you describe, but it quickly narrowed if you looked into it, so you might want to see take a quick peek down yours with a flashlight. I don't think a chipmunk would have a tunnel that maintained those dimensions for long.

As far as a fix, in my last epic battle I had with a determined chipmunk I filled the offending hole with dirt from those 40 lb bags you can get at the hardware store, washing the dirt in with the hose (unfortunately, you can't just drown them out by sticking the hose in the hole for an afternoon). After a couple of digouts, they apparently got tired of the whole thing and moved to the neighbors, who I'm sure appreciated the gift and display of civic spirit. If you just want the chipmunks away from the bushes, filling the holes should work, but if you want them completely gone from your yard, then you'll have to try something else.

There are lethal and live traps should you feel vindictive or virtuous -- both styles of rat traps are said to work, and it makes sense they would -- but I've never tried them. Obviously, this approach also works if you are unlucky enough to actually have rats. Depending on the density of chipmunks in your area, others may move in immediately or it may take years.

Chipmunks are quick and usually shy, meaning you often won't see them, although the last few years I have noticed the ones around here become more bold, or perhaps urban-acclimated.

I think even a chihuahua could kick a chipmunk's ass. Good bragging rights for it, too.
posted by mdevore at 7:04 PM on November 5

On the other hand, there are creatures that live in that size burrow that can do harm to your dog. I suggest you contact your county agricultural agent and ask for advice. They generally know all you want know about these kinds of things.

I live in a very rural community on large acreage. When we get a skunk invasion, we put moth balls into the areas where we have seen them nest. This seems to send them elsewhere without injuring them.

Keep in mind that you are sharing their home. If you can coexist without harming them all the better. If not, start by trying to discourage them. Slowly escalate until you find a solution.
posted by Old Geezer at 8:10 PM on November 5

Could be a hare. Could be anything for that matter. I don't think you should worry too much about this.
posted by watercarrier at 1:42 AM on November 6

Mothballs are extremely toxic to all living organisms. It is highly suggested you do NOT use them to deter any living thing. Old Geezer may think that Naphthalene doesn't *harm the critters* - but it does. There are slow acting poisons that enter the bloodstream through the lungs that once settled there slowly erode the tissues and subsequently organs of the creatures. They then go to a place to die a slow painful death. Please. Do. Not. Use. Mothballs. To. Deter. Wildlife. Thank. You.
posted by watercarrier at 1:46 AM on November 6

Suggested reading for you - Living With Intensity there's a passage there about chipmunks and their lessons they teach.
posted by watercarrier at 1:51 AM on November 6