Head to head with Mr. Gnarly
Hey Dad,
Well, the battle continues. Remember last week I told you about the expensive fix on my car due to the destructive eating habits of a big rodent? Well, we set out the ‘live trap’ and caught a…cat.
After extensive questioning, the cat was released and the wire-gnawing bandit was still at large. Then I saw something that confirmed my suspicions. We were dealing with marmota monax, the common groundhog.
The family and I had been away from home for several hours and I had just dropped them off at a neighbor’s house for desert. Alone, I made the short trip home to let our dog out for a bathroom break before heading back to the neighbor’s home.
I pulled into the driveway, and I saw a groundhog race from a tall spruce tree and zip under my car on the way to the woods where he lives. Interestingly, he looked as though he stopped under my car.
I got out of the van, looked under the car, and even honked the horn. No groundhog.
“That’s weird,” I thought.
On a hunch, I popped the hood of the car, opened it, and scanned the engine.
It all looked normal until I saw something peculiar. Now, I’m not a great auto mechanic, and I might not notice most problems, but I definitely know that a car engine should not have fur.
But that’s exactly what my engine had, a ball of fur tucked neatly behind the alternator.
Not sure if the thing would spring up and attach itself to my face, I got a long broom handle and poked the little guy…but he wasn’t moving.
Then I devised a plan. I would throw a small bucket of water on the perpetrator, scare him out, and then club him as he made his way back to the hole. Unfortunately, he was ready for me and as soon as the water hit him and was out like a flash as he dashed off to his non-automotive home.
I’ve seen neither hide nor hair of him since.
But I’m watching and waiting…and I will win.
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I wonder if he would be as apt to go near that motor if the hood was open?
Ya can’t duck for cover where there isn’t any cover…
Happy Hunting! 🙂
Well, this oughtta be an interesting saga to follow.
Family Man 0 , Groundhog 1
🙂
Joey
http://www.DadResources.com
Well, if they’re anything like racoons, which I’m certain they are, then he would probably like it if you set out a shallow pan of sweet, tasty Pepsi for him to slake his thirst on his way from the woods to your car and back. YOU would probably like it even more if you if you dumped a package of rat posion in the pan with it.
Not unlike God, this plan is no discerner of men, or beast in this case, so if you try this, make sure that the wanted creatures can’t access the slurry.
Todd – another option besides the pepsi/rat poisin cocktail is straight radiator coolant. It’s sweet smelling but deadly for animals…just makes sure there are no other dogs, cats that have access…I would place a pan inside the engine bay. Just make sure the little critter does not die in between the belts…fur hat…here we come!
Man, those little feet are creepy looking! Beware of ROUSes, Rodents of Unusual Size. You may need a torch and some lighter fluid. I’m just sayin…
Todd, when I have this problem around my house I pull out the old .22 LR. When you get it right they jump squirming and squealing 3ft into the air. Then I put it in the garbage can with just the head sticking up as a special treat for our pickup guy when he flips off the lid!
If he hasn’t completely disabled your vehicle, perhaps you should just fire up the engine. If the fan belt doesn’t get him, the heat eventually will. Just don’t let your wife or kids watch, it could be ugly.
Continued… On second thought, your boys will probably think it’s pretty cool. Of course afterward, there’s the chance your car might smell like a rolling barbeque pit… roast rodent.
Should have started the car and see if that fan belt would have taken care of him
Looks to me like a simple fix . . . start your engine!
Poison, poison, poison!
Just hire Carl, the groundskeeper from Caddyshack. “Hey Mr. Groundhog, its me, Mr. Squirrel, dropping by for a visit. Not plastic explosive or anything”. “Cinderela story…its in the hole, its in the hole…!.
Just start the engine and kill the critter. Better to powerwash the mess off the engine then continue with the critter destroying your engine wiring.
My husband says that all the groundhogs he finds in our yard die of “lead” poisoning. ;o)
Could he be th ASE certified mechanic that AAA sent out to help?
Train him to run real fast inside the serpentine belt and you would have a groundhog powered car..what with gas prices & all it could save some serious $.
Todd… What is it with you and rodent infestations anyways?
FYI
Live traps aren’t effective at getting rid of wood chucks – most of the bait that works well for squirrels/rabbits/chipmunks isn’t interesting to them.
The .22 is effective, but if you live in town I wouldn’t suggest it – unless you can talk your way past a discharging a firearm in town citation. If you are the sort to shoot a rifle into your engine compartment, tell me so I can stop taking advice from you.
Hay family-man!
Try http://www.critter-repellent.com
Easy to use and safe.
Sorry for putting a damper on all the fun ways to destroy a hog.
Well….I actually think you’re being baited….he’s going to spring the big trap when ya ain’t lookin’ fer it!
Hey Todd, You should hire the red tail hawk i met today. I seen it grab two moles out of the ground while at the condos!! My mowers are smiling already@!!
If you try the 22 way, I have to tell you they are good eating, and have a nice pelt.
When it is hot like this, I use a live trap and just use a bowl of water for bait. Works every time. Then relocate the pest.
We don’t have any more critters since my neibor retired. We have had a bullet shortage in our town though.
Lived in AZ pack rats did the same thing while I was on vacation. I say
start the engine….
I say … shotgun! It would be a good learning experience for your boys!
I liked your idea of the club. Next time call in your boys for backup. The ones that are sensitive should have crab nets. You might not catch it, but the stories you can tell will be priceless.
Those groundhogs will just keep multiplying, so get ‘em soon.
Antifreeze now comes with a bittering agent in it so the animals won’t eat it. To many cats and dogs have gone the wrong way so they put that in.
In our Yellowbook under Pest control there is people that will come and safely remove your pest and take him to a home that he is more welcome at
The .22 discharge is something to consider. I have had great success with a high powered pellet rifle (min 1000fps). Great for “low noise” areas and can be used to teach gun safety as well!
Walmart carries the Crosman and Remington versions.
This is great! Got a chuckle out of all the helpful hints.
Just do what I do, grab him by the scruff of the neck and haul him outta there! They can’t bite you when you have them that way!
Good luck!
I would have been reaching for my keys if I saw that under the hood :>)
He’ll never leave as long as he sees his shadow. Don’t wait until February 2 to do something about this!
Cant help ya! I’m still trying to find the blasting caps & dynamite at Home Depot to take care of some moles!
With all of those helpful hints I can’t offer anything better. However, I did notice that “Chuck” seems to have a serious nostril hair problem of his own going on. It must be something in that Milford water??
I see that we are all a bunch of Kum-by-ya singing, card carrying PETA members around here. 🙂 I would have started the car also.
You could wait until Feb. 2, 2009 for him to come out to see his shadow. But to his surprise, it will be your shadow, but with a club in your hand.
Since the critter is destroying property it needs to be eliminated. I don’t think Todd is a grab ‘im by the scruff kind of guy and not sure about the sharp shooter either. Poison can be the trick but takes awhile to kick in. My advice is to catch the thing and relocate it far, far away! Had to do the same to an armadillo that thought burrowing under my van’s tire was a great place.
Might check your local laws. I think poisoning may be a legal matter. I solved a similar “problem” with a short sprint and a ball bat last summer.
I had exactly the same experience plus a $450 bill to replace the oxygen sensors chewed off at the nub. We were told by the service tech it was mice but saw the groundhog run up into the engine compartment. I started the car, blew the horn and went backward and forward to no avail. I opened the hood and there he/she was tucked down on the exhaust manifold. Prodding with a stick only made it hide in a place I couldn’t see it. Finally I gave up and went in side. I’m hoping that it will be gone before too long. I coated the sensor wires with a high temperature silicone but now don’t have much faith in it.