There’s something living in our backyard…
Well, okay, there’s probably more than one thing if you want to be all literal and count things like trees & spiders & squirrels.
But there’s something much bigger than that living in our backyard. Something mammalian.
Whatever it is has dug a hole under our shed.
And yesterday when I walked out onto the deck to call someone (thanks for the crappy reception, myjob’scellphonecompany), I saw something very large and furry trundling across the backyard and into the hole. Something the size of, say, a raccoon.
I’m a little freaked out about letting the kids out in the back yard alone with this thing running around, since it’s willing to come out in daylight. Any suggestions?
Fidget said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:21 pm
you need to determine if it is typically a day creature or a night creature.. then you decide if you want to kill it or simply discourage it. Based on that pick an appropriate time to fill in the hole its dug with cement. You will either force it to find another place to sleep or entomb it.. either way bye bye furry thing. May father entombed some aggresive armadillos after trying for weeks to encourage them to leave. Once they started damaging the plumbing under the house he was out for armadillo blood.
elise said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I would guess its probably a ground hog. Relatively harmless and if that’s what it is, it will probably stay away from your kids on its own. Nothing lives around us now, because of the dog and two 16.5 pound monster cats but we once had a dandelion eating ground hog.
elise said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:22 pm
I forgot to mention I live in pennsylvania and we have bears to worry about, so I’m a bit relaxed about the small furry creatures unless I think they may have rabies…
Wontar said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:23 pm
If it is nocturnal, like a raccoon, and out in the daylight then the odds are that it is rabid. It may be an exercise in futility, but you could try calling Animal Control.
Suzanne said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:23 pm
Maybe a groundhog? We have one that lives under our deck. We’ve named him (her? oh, the sexist assumptions of nomenclature) George. Other than chewing an access hole through the wood underneath the deck, he hasn’t caused any damage.
Can you try to catch a better glimpse of it to make sure it’s not a racoon?
Comfort Addict said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:24 pm
I’m definitely the wrong guy to ask. I don’t like possums or rodents. Mrs. CA thinks it’s hilarious to watch (and listen) to me when I encounter a mouse.
landismom said,
January 6, 2007 at 10:25 pm
Yeah, I’m thinking based on the burrow that it’s a groundhog after all. Thanks for the advice, folks.