Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Grow Your Own => Topic started by: woodburner on October 21, 2008, 17:12

Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 21, 2008, 17:12: Found a load of holes a few days ago in my veg patch. Finally got the camera and weather to cooperate, and took these earlier:
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj309/Woodburner_photos/holes3.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj309/Woodburner_photos/holes2.jpg)
(http://i275.photobucket.com/albums/jj309/Woodburner_photos/holes1.jpg)
And finally managed to shrink them and upload them!

Any ideas what made them? They are only as deep as they look not tunnels and there's quite a few more. They make it look like my veg plot has been hit by a mini meteor storm! :evil: :? :lol:
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: compostqueen on October 21, 2008, 17:28: I think it's bunnies.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: min200 on October 21, 2008, 18:05: Rats? Looks about the right size.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: noshed on October 21, 2008, 18:12: It could be foxes looking for worms
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: mikem on October 21, 2008, 18:57: Well that has sorted out what did it :!: :!: :!:
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: peapod on October 21, 2008, 19:06: Quote from: "mikem"
Well that has sorted out what did it :!: :!: :!:

:D
Without a camera trained on the beds it would be hard to say exactly what it is. But Im thinking its bunnies too

Paula
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Kate and her Ducks on October 21, 2008, 19:08: Sounds like time for a stakeout!
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: AndyRVTR on October 21, 2008, 19:09: If its bunnies... you will always find some poo drops... if there isn't any, I would also say it looks like rats
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Lotty370 on October 21, 2008, 19:33: I found holes like these in my garden, under a tree. I think that rats (yuk!) have made them as a couple have been seen running down the road. I think it is time to get the traps out.

Lotty
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: peapod on October 21, 2008, 19:37: I think we should have a poll :D

Just kidding!
I think rats is a better bet than bunnies, lotty has just reminded me of holes like this in my mates garden near his compost bin.
I was relaxing this summer looking at his garden with a refreshing G&T in hand, when a huge great bl**dy rat ran out past me and down one of the holes
(http://i288.photobucket.com/albums/ll175/cloughyclaret/16.gif)
YAK!!

Paula
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 21, 2008, 20:06: Quote from: "mikem"
Well that has sorted out what did it :!: :!: :!:

What, you mean that complete lack of consensus of opinion? :tongue2: :lol:

I was hoping someone would say squirrels as, of the three potential culprits mentioned here, we don't have rabbits, I know what rat holes look like so it's not them either, leaving foxes . . . . 5 yards from my chooks! :shock:

The other possible I thought of is a badger. In the spring I had a problem with something digging up my potatoes, by scrabbling around for something in the manure, some of the tatties had teeth marks, so I knew it wasn't birds/chooks. But these holes were made by something with smaller paws, I think.

I'm not sure which is worse badgers, or foxes, but at least badgers don't jump fences.

The main reason I am finding it so hard to believe we have foxes visiting our gardens is actually because of the chooks. They aren't fox secure in the daytime, and shutting up at night is a bit erratic. Last night one was left out altogether, and is still alive to tell the tale! I really must step up my culling of excess birds, before the fox does it for me!

Edit: The birds I intend to keep all get on well so can be confined in the fox secure (touch wood) run.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Rampant_Weasel on October 21, 2008, 20:32: i think rabbit, the rat holes ive seen have been smaller than that.and rats are usualy too oppurtunistic to bother with digging holes when there is easier food to get at.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: mrs bouquet on October 21, 2008, 20:50: Could it maybe be squirrels, I have holes like that all over my garden, and I watch the devils doing it ?? Apparently they do not have very good memories and dig at random. Mrs Bouquet
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: rainie on October 21, 2008, 20:55: looks like bunny digging to me, but dare i say rule out the cats toilet?
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: agapanthus on October 21, 2008, 20:55: Think it might be rabbits too. If it's a fox you would probably find their poo somewhere near 'cos they usually mark where they have been.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 21, 2008, 21:34: Quote from: "agapanthus"
Think it might be rabbits too. If it's a fox you would probably find their poo somewhere near 'cos they usually mark where they have been.

Errm I wouldn't rule that out. I've seen some odd looking poos a couple of times. Thought it was a bit small for fox, but wouldn't really know.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: metmum on October 22, 2008, 10:20: Quote from: "woodburner"
Quote from: "agapanthus"
Think it might be rabbits too. If it's a fox you would probably find their poo somewhere near 'cos they usually mark where they have been.

Errm I wouldn't rule that out. I've seen some odd looking poos a couple of times. Thought it was a bit small for fox, but wouldn't really know.

Fox poo is usually a very dark colour mostly black and not very big.

Normally if it was rabbits you would find some dropping nearby but then rats usually leave some as well saying that I have seen holes like that in a field near us and that is rabbits.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: agapanthus on October 22, 2008, 12:53: Quote from: "metmum"
Quote from: "woodburner"
Quote from: "agapanthus"
Think it might be rabbits too. If it's a fox you would probably find their poo somewhere near 'cos they usually mark where they have been.

Errm I wouldn't rule that out. I've seen some odd looking poos a couple of times. Thought it was a bit small for fox, but wouldn't really know.

Fox poo is usually a very dark colour mostly black and not very big.

.

......with a tinge of dark green!!!! ;)
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Foxy on October 22, 2008, 13:59: bit like cat poo but oiler and stickier looking.....euch!!!!!
Looks like a rabbit scrape though.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 22, 2008, 18:12: Quote from: "Foxy"
bit like cat poo but oiler and stickier looking.....euch!!!!!
Looks like a rabbit scrape though.

That fits what I found. I thought maybe small cat but it had bits of beetle in it.

Would rabbits really start and leave a dozen holes in an area about 12ft by 6ft? Also no rabbits this side of the river for more years, than anyone can remeber. No droppings, no nibbled grass, no other damage including veg.

It's really weird that it seems to have been a one off - no more holes even though I've cleared more ground. :?
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: agapanthus on October 22, 2008, 20:34: Memory's not that good at the moment......but I remember lots of smallish mammals that I had on my plot....they were about half the size of rabbits and really cute!!!! :D :D (wish I could remember the name of them :( )
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: rainie on October 22, 2008, 21:17: moles?!
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: MOLUSC on October 22, 2008, 21:53: Rabbits would leave poo
Fox's would be more interested in the chickens than scratching around for worms and bugs.
Squirrels-would be burying food at this time of year not digging it up.
Rats would more likely try to find food in the chicken coop.
BADGER,LOVE TO DIG THEIR NOSE INTO THE GROUND IN SEARCH FOR WORMS .
normally in the small hours and after a rainfall.

I WOULD SAY BADGER
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: agapanthus on October 22, 2008, 21:53: Loads bigger!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Rampant_Weasel on October 22, 2008, 23:15: basically ur gonna have to sit up all night with a camera cos now weve all just got to know wot it is.... :wink:
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 23, 2008, 16:53: Not flippin' likely lol Not in this weather! :lol: :lol:

I've been thinking about a motion sensitive camera for use on the allotment, but they're not really in my budget. :(
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: SG6 on October 23, 2008, 18:38: I have found very similar holes in my garden. Mine are caused by a visiting squirrel.
When I dug over the veg patch I unearthed 15 monkey nuts :D
I saw the little horror one day digging a new hole, just couldn't get out to stop it. :(
Have also found a few oaks growing. Problem is that no-one we know of feeds whole monkey nuts and the nearest oak is some distance off.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: mrs bouquet on October 23, 2008, 20:55: thats what they tell you !!! Mrs Bouquet

The squirrels around here are digging holes, just like that
They are loony, they dig to bury stuff, and they dig to see if they can find some stuff to bury. Mrs Bouquet
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: Minty on October 23, 2008, 22:09: Do you put any of your chicken poo on your beds?

I went into our site shop a while back and was asking about the chicken pellet's they sell and the woman said they are good as she uses them but she does find that the foxes really like to search them out to eat after you've dug them in.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: SG6 on October 23, 2008, 22:43: I put a lot of chicken poo down on the veg bed, then dug it in. Then threw more on and turned that in. It ponged. :D :D

Then I planted my onions and garlic and left another part empty for leeks later. The soil is easy to dig into, I can use a handtrowel with no problem now, but although the squirrel has dug elsewhere it has left the veg bed alone. So I suspect that the smell is a bit off putting to it. :roll: :roll:

Nothing else has touched the bed either. Although I live in a town and would not expect much to bother like foxes and badgers here.
Title: What made these holes?
Post by: woodburner on October 24, 2008, 00:16: Quote from: "Minty"
Do you put any of your chicken poo on your beds?

I went into our site shop a while back and was asking about the chicken pellet's they sell and the woman said they are good as she uses them but she does find that the foxes really like to search them out to eat after you've dug them in.

No, it all goes in the compost heap, and hasn't got as far as the beds yet.

I'd much prefer it to be squirrels but the bottom of the holes is about right for a rabbit fox or cat, too big for squirrels or rats and too small for a badger?, so unless the local cats have taken a fancy to worms for midnight snacks, or some omnivourous rabbits have flown in and out again I think it has to be foxes, and I'm just lucky (touch wood) that they've only been around when the chooks have been shut away.