Something is living under my deck!

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

No, this is not like the crazy time I thought I had a mouse. This is for real. It seems creatures love to live under my deck. Last summer I had a skunk,, twice. Once in the front and once in the back. I thought I had effectively dealt with it. Well it looks like there is something new calling my back deck a home. It is not likely a skunk because it would have sprayed by now... just like the other two last summer. My friend saw it slip under the deck the other day. She said it looked brown and was too big to be a squirrel and it was daytime so not likely a racoon. I'm thinking it's a cat, although I suppose it could also be Laurie's Stewpid come back from the dead.

The doodles are loosing their minds. They know when he/she's here and whine and wimper to go out. When I let them out they chase it around from the top of the deck, trying to squeeze their big noses between the cracks. Sophie is pacing, and jumps up on the couch to try and see out the window.

I figure if I wait for it to go away it might stay for a long time tormenting the doodles, or worse, it could die under there, which would be awful all around. The animal trappers who I called about the skunk quoted me $1400! (they would have put in fencing underground around the deck). This is not an option for me but I'm starting to think I need to start saving my pennies. I'm home tomorrow (having my new doggie shower installed!) so I will deal with this tomorrow if possible. I'll probably do what I did for the skunk - pull up a couple deck boards and pour vinegar and put out a bright spot light, anything to make it less hospitable. I just hope it's a cat (and no kittens please!), as it might be easier to lure out of there...

Stay tuned...

[Wendy and Myla]

I have no idea if this works or not but my sister told me that her friend has an autoyard and he puts bars of strong smelling soap (like Zest or Irish Spring) on the motors and inside the cars so that rodents don't get into them - it would definitely smell good under your deck (and if it rains, you might have bubbles coming up!).  We have a neighbours cat who loves our woodshed for his potty breaks in the winter so we cover the dirt floor with pine needles that have fallen from our pine tree and he hasn't gone in since.  I have also heard that cayenne pepper works to keep cats out of the garden.  Good luck!!!  Hopefully you get rid of it before babies come - tis the season!

[Marnie, Stanlee's Mom]

I don't know how yours works, but the pest control company that comes quarterly includes services for "small animal" removal, as well.  This includes raccoons, opposums, rats, mice, squirrels, bats etc.  I don't believe they do fox or bobcat removal and as we don't have groundhogs, well......  Give your local pest control company a call, they may surprise you.  We also have a Wildlife Rescue group that will come out and set humane traps and relocate unwated woodland type animals.

[F, Calla & Luca]

I would not recommend mothballs where the dogs might get into them. I found it impossible to trap the woodchucks aka groundhogs, under my shed. The darn things would never go into the trap. The shed was recently dismantled because it was in danger of falling down. The handyman did not see any woodchucks so maybe the last one the doodles caught cut off the dynasty. But would you believe that my son's tiny rescue beagle found a baby rabbit near there this weekend. Luckily, or maybe not, the rabbit was fine when she let go of it. 

You need to get the critter out and then seal the remaining opening. One way you might tell is by sprinkling flour by the opening and then looking for footprints out late at night. Years ago this worked with a skunk in my parent's crawlspace. They wanted to be sure it was out before they ventured in. Then block the opening with something temporarily until you can do something more permanent. Tthrow some ammonia on the ground under the deck and maybe hot pepper flakes too.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Sherri, I guess you need to try to figure out when the critter is actually under the deck and when it is out foraging - day, night.  If you could figure that out and block re-entry in any temporary fashion that is possible, you wouldn't need to trap.  Then you could put up a more permanent fence.

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Also, trapping can only take us so far. The animal will have to be released into the wild and the by-law states that it can only be moved so far from its original home. Which means it will likely just find its way back. Hence why the company wanted to install underground fencing to keep it out. If worse comes to worse, I'm going to install the underground fence myself, or rather, I'll drag some male family members up for the week-end to help out ;-)

[Sherri, Sophie, Winston, & Kitty]

Thanks Jay, but once I trap the animal what am I going to do with it?? I suppose it's a good option but I'm  more likely to trap  doodle!

The mothballs was an idea that had been suggested about the skunk but it appears to be toxic to animals, and could be toxic to the doodles if they ever got to them...

F, there is lattice around most of the deck, there is a triangular opening where the deck meets the edge of the window well which is extended out from the house. That is where it is getting in. This animal doesn't dig. The skunk did, and there were holes dug on each side of the deck. The smart little thing dug a hold from unde my neighbours fence to under my deck for a quick getaway when the doodles were out. It drove them nuts!

Oh Gawd, I hope it's not a woodchuk - that's the same as a groundhog right? I thought maybe it could be a groundhog, in which case I suppose it is possible that it has dug a tunnel so long I can't see the other end of it. But I'm pretty sure that's not the case.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Rodent type creatures don't like moth balls.  We used to throw some underneath our classrooms when we got skunks.  Perhaps you could throw some under your deck and get some plant fencing - it can be pretty cheap.  With some stakes and zip ties perhaps you could make a temporary  fence that might discourage whatever critter is there now.

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

F., how would the lattice help if it's already under there?  Wouldn't that just trap it where you don't where it to be?

[F, Calla & Luca]

There's inexpensive lattice you can buy but the trouble is that some of these critters dig.

[Jay, Lola and Colonel Esau]

What about something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202072051?productId=202072051&stor...

It good pretty good reviews.  I suppose you'd just have to figure out all the possibilities for what kind of animal it might be, then figure out what type of treat they all like best and include a little bit of each for bait.

Frankly I'm be a little nervous about having someone who does this for a living poking around my deck, anyway:

Good luck.