[Mom of 2 Beagles]

We have had a critter of some sort getting in our back yard at night. Which of course causes Sadie and Pooh Bear to go crazy sniffing and barking and baying. We get up early. Hubbie gets up at 5 a.m. to get ready for work. I let them out this morning at 5:15 a.m. to go pee and the immediately picked up on a scent and started in with their yipping and carrying on. I have to make them come back inside. Now we have to wait until 7 a.m. to go back out. The neighbors don't get up till 7. Hopefully the scent will fade a bit by then.

I've got my trap back out and am going to set it tonight and see if I can catch the critter. It is a cage type trap that won't hurt the animal. Someone said to use Sardines as bait. I'm going to try this tonight.

Hubbie asked what if I catch the neighbors cat. I said I would take him (still in the trap) and put him on their front door step. He said, yea right. He is right, I probabably would not do that, I am a chicken. If it is a racoon or possom I can ask animal rescue where to release it.

 

[Gingergoose]

Re: releasing the animal that you might catch. Please release it at night in some woods away from developement where it will be safe. Since they are nocturnal, they might be a bit confused if you release it in a strange place during the day.

Some states don't allow relocation of rabies vectors (such as raccoons). Here in Virginia, you can't relocate in another county. And if it is a raccoon, consider that an adult may be leaving babies around nearby who may not be ready to be on their own. Don't know when raccoons breed down there.

I don't know how big your yard is but...rags soaked in ammonia or moth-balls wrapped in thin cloth or netting distributed around the fence line (probably hung from the top of the fence where the beags can't get them) are effective at keeping mammals away. Wild mammals have very sensitive sense of smell and those smells are strong.

Just throwing these ideas out there...the wildlife rehabber in me doesn't want to see anybody hurt.

Now the idea of the neighbors cat...in the trap...on the porch is funny. Are these the same neighbors that you are worried about waking up? /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/lol2.gif

~Denise

 

[missmollygirl]

You want a duck? I have a mallard hen making a nest under Tim's duck boat that leaning up against the garage. The irony of this is that Maggie (lab) is on house arrest because of her surgery and Tim has never been able to shoot a duck out of that boat.

Gingergoose has good advice. I would contact your state DNR (Dept. of Natural Resources) to see what the best course of action would be as to releasing the "critter" if you do trap one. I was going to have them come and get the duck and the eggs, but all they told us here was to shake the eggs. When they don't hatch, the hen will go away. I decided not to do that. I'll just have to be extra careful when I mow the lawn.

 

[Mom of 2 Beagles]

I am pretty sure it is cats. We have the neighbors cat, Pee Kitty, who is always hanging around our front yard and I've seen her in the back too. We have cats that live across the road and behind us too. I really don't want to catch any kritter. I'm just ranting. I just want them to stay out of my yard. I will try the moth balls in a cloth. I have tried moth balls before, but didn't ever know to wrap some up in a cloth. That is a good idea!!

Yes, the neighbors next door who have Pee Kitty are the ones who called and complained about our dogs barking early one morning. They used to keep her in at night. Not sure if they still do. I can't blame Pee Kity because I just don't know what gets out there at night. I need a camera set up out there at night.

 

[Jennifer]

If it's a cat no matter what you do you will never keep it out. They are a free spirit and go anywhere they please basically and very little perturbes them.

I've done the things Denise suggested and it kept all critters out except cats.

 

[Mom of 2 Beagles]

Oh darn. I think you are right. I used to try all kinds of stuff I bought at Home Depot or PetSmart or other suggestions to keep critters and cats away. But I agree. Cats can go wherever they please. Darned cats.

 

[Joe Johnston]

I have dealt with squirels in the past, I have a new 'critter" to deal with.

This is Eastrn Coachwhip snake which I recently chased out of my back yard. He came from the orange grove behind my house. Non-poisonous though. Across the street is a lake and it is home to many poisonous Cottonmouths. We came home a few weeks ago only to find a massive King Black snake "sunning itself" on my front proch. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/pimp.gif

To quote Indiana Jones: " I hate snakes, I hate em"

 

[NORTHWEST REDNECK]

Aww, Poor snakes! As a teen I had a "Rosy Boa" as a pet that I
captured from the California desert that lived for nearly 10 yrs!
But a "corn snake" that I captured in Florida in 1974 & hid in a
mayo jar with air-holes punched in the lid & concealed in a
"parakeet box" from the Fred-Meyer store did not escape the
attention of a vigilant lady baggage screener @ the Miami airport!"AHHHHH, IT'S A SNAKE"!!!! (A Male screener stepped up &
said...Oh. it,s just a corn snake & let us go)!!! (Aww, The good
ol days!) /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/thumbup2.gif

 

[Gingergoose]

Originally Posted By: Joe and VinnyI have dealt with squirels in the past, I have a new 'critter" to deal with.

This is Eastrn Coachwhip snake which I recently chased out of my back yard. He came from the orange grove behind my house. Non-poisonous though. Across the street is a lake and it is home to many poisonous Cottonmouths. We came home a few weeks ago only to find a massive King Black snake "sunning itself" on my front proch. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/pimp.gif

To quote Indiana Jones: " I hate snakes, I hate em"

That snake is beautiful! How long was he? I love snakes as long as I know they are there.

Every year we look forward to the warm weather getting here and the oodles of black rat and racer snakes that live on our property to come out and start sunning themselves. We have a breeding pair of black rat snakes that live under our driveway...last August, my husband dug up (by mistake) an egg that they had laid in the mulch. I tried to incubate it but it didn't hatch.

We always get excited at black snake sightings...we have identified four separate black-snakes(two have names /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/tired.gif). And in the almost 12 years that we have lived here, we've never seen a copperhead. We also have garter snakes and ribbon snakes and I've seen one green snake but he was dead. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/cool.gif

I'll bet you have alot of cool snakes in Florida!

 

[Murphys Dad]

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/rotatesmiley2.gif

 

[Murphys Dad]

Yes, Denise we have a lot of snakes in Florida. I'm not sure about the cool part though!

 

[Joe Johnston]

Denise,
He was probably 6 feet, a real big one and very fast. My vet told me they are quicker than a Racer and very skittish of people.

Ha, that snake is probably telling his buddies the same thing about me. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

 

[Gingergoose]

Originally Posted By: Joe and VinnyDenise,
He was probably 6 feet, a real big one and very fast. My vet told me they are quicker than a Racer and very skittish of people.

Ha, that snake is probably telling his buddies the same thing about me. /forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif

/forums/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/coffee.gif

 

[Mom of 2 Beagles]

I'll take cats in the yard over snakes any day. I don't like snakes. The main reason I don't like them is because I don't know one snake from another and don't know which ones are dangerous. Our neighbor called my hubbie yesterday to come over because she had a snake in her living room. It turned out to be just a little yard snake, not harmful. My neighbor was pretty freaked out though.

 

[Gingergoose]

Even I don't want snakes in the house!!!

 

[Gingergoose]

This was taken last year...this guy was coming up the steps while myself and the dogs were going down. He was hell bent on getting to some empty bird nests under the neck. Henry got a little too close and got a nip in the nose but otherwise this snake didn't give a hoot about us. Just took his time climbing to the rafters of the deck...stopped to take a picture with my son (who likes to goose the snakes sometimes)...then was on his way. I don't know which one this was but he was a big'un.

 

[Joe Johnston]

I always look at the head of the snake. If it is triangular in shape, he is poisonous and should be avoided. If the head is a "rectangular oval" chances are he is non-poisonous.

The only exeception I know of is the Coral Snake which is mainly found in wooded areas and are very deadly. However, this sanke has no fangs. Most people bit by the Coarl Snake are bit on the face or the fingers while bending over in the garden or picking something up.

I give ALL snakes a wide bearth though.