Tales From and Old Married Woman

Coming up on my 15th year in this industry I have become an old pro at serving up the phrase “If I don't carry it on my truck, it likely does not work.” Everyone is quick to explain how THEY had such great success with one home remedy or another for wildlife control but are deaf to my attempts to explain correlation versus causation.

It seems like in the past five years the “my mother used _____” or “my neighbor recommended to try _____” comments have increased ten fold and I blame click bait Buzzfeed articles and Pinterest “Hacks” that flood social media every year. But it’s okay, we can work through it. I gotcha my friends… 

This week we are going to address the top 5 “home remedies” I have heard over the years and whether they are worth the time and energy to attempt them in aiding in your nuisance wildlife problems.

#5 - Juicy Fruit Gum for Ground Moles

This one is one of my favorites and I am happy to start this article with it. I am almost convinced that this might have started as a marketing ploy by Wrigley’s to increase sales of their quickly turned bland flavor of chewing gum. 

Allegedly, you are supposed to “Take the yellow wrappers off Juicy Fruit chewing gum. Put the sticks of gum, still covered with the aluminum wrappers, into the pushed-up holes. The moles will be attracted to the gum's scent and will devour it. But they won't be able to digest the gum and aluminum wrappers and will eventually die.” ( rb.gy/dgnhv6).

A couple things to point out. Moles are insectivores. The majority (85%) of their diet is earthworms. The remaining percentage of food sources are shared by grubs, beetles, isopods, and other subterranean insects. NONE of which ANYWAY resemble a stick of chewing gum in it’s foil wrapper. There is no reason a mole would do more than approach the stick, investigate it, and move on. Likely not returning to that section of tunnels because it is now “compromised” so it moves on to a different portion of lawn.

Secondly, the “pushed up holes” are one, not holes, and two, they are where the moles deposit their excess soil from their excavations and the mole is not likely to return to that spot any time soon (hence we do not place traps in the mounds, only in the runs/tunnels).

Third, if it did kill the moles in the manner it described (which it doesn't) what a HORRIBLE and cruel way to control an animal.

Truth Meter 1/10

#4 - Dog Hair In Gardens for Rabbits

The second frequent post I come across is suggesting the reader visit a local dog grooming salon and asking for a bag of dog hair so it can be spread in their gardens to deter nuisance wildlife.

“Rabbits, squirrels, deer and other creatures are deterred by the scent of dog hair as it tricks the pests into thinking there is a dog nearby. This method is environmentally friendly for gardens, trees, shrubs and potted plants and does not harm animals or humans.” ( rb.gy/abj5vy)

The principal of the idea is sound, and I have seen SOME positive results with this method, the issue is the long lasting effectiveness. Scent and pheromones are broken down with sunlight (heat), wind (friction), and water (dilution). So if the placed dog hair is subjected to these elements then the efficacy diminishes. In order to be an effective deterrent against nuisance wildlife, you would need to reapply the dog hair to your garden bed after every rainfall, or every three days with no rain. The amount of hair over the season you would need in order to achieve the measure of control you desire will likely have you placed on a “list” for local dog groomers and make you a social outcast in the community.

Truth Meter 6/10

#3 - Filling Chipmunk Holes with Vehicle Exhaust 

It frightens me how often I hear this, and every time I do my heart races as I try to stay calm while I explain the sheer stupidity of this.

I will not offer a link for this one as I do not wish to perpetuate this method any further, but it simply involves connecting a garden hose to the exhaust of a combustion engine and sticking the hose in a chipmunk burrow.

Let me explain why this is so dangerous. The carbon dioxide emitted from the combustion engine is being piped into a subterranean tunnel system that you have NO IDEA where it goes. Almost EVERY chipmunk job we go to has tunnels and excavations along or under a occupied structure such as a home, shop, garage, or building. None of these structures are hermetically sealed, so gasses such as CO2 can EASILY make it through a foundation crack, utility entrance, or crawlspace access point and enter the structure. That possesses potentially fatal consequences for the structure's inhabitants.

DO NOT USE THIS METHOD

Truth Meter 0/10

#2 - Plastic Owls for Birds/Squirrels

For $12 at your local big box store you too can own your very own ½ scale plastic great horned owl replica. At least twice a month I inspect a home with these in a garden, on a patio, or overlooking a car port. 

Do they work? Yes and No. The trick to these decoys, along with any others, is movement. If you install the owl in one place, and do not move it ever again, you will have little success, and if you could take a picture of the squirrel sitting next to the owl and send it to me, I would love to add it to my collection.

On our farm we lost a pullet (not old enough to lay eggs, female chicken) one evening to a cooper’s hawk. The next two weeks I would place two canada goose decoys in the chicken yard, in different places and poses, each day that I let the chickens out in the yard. This was to give the impression to birds of prey flying above that there were much larger birds in the flock below and it was not worth the risk. Every night when the chickens would get closed up in the coop, so would the decoys. Then the next morning I would let the chicken out and place the decoys in a different place in the yard, turn the decoy’s necks/heads a different way, and repeat the process each day. I didn't lose another bird after that.

Had I left the decoys in one place, not taken them in a night, and not moved their neck and head, I likely would have lost another pullet or even more because the hawks, eagles, vultures, and owls flying over head would have come to see the decoys as static items devoid of life.

So buy the owl, but be prepared to move it every day and invest in one you can turn the head on.

Truth Meter 7/10

#1 - Sonic Pest Repellers

This is the most common DIY tactic I see used these days. For $25 you can get a “Pack of 2, Solar Mole Repellent Sonic Device, Sonic Mole Repeller, get rid of moles, gopher, snake, rat, mice, mouse, camping, RV, Mole Remover, Mole Repellent Solar Powered, Vole Repellant” (https://amzn.to/35oZSSC) 

Obvious spelling error aside, these solar battery operated stakes are a COMPLETE waste of money. Believe me folks, If I could achieve GUARANTEED results against moles, snakes, rats, mice, and voles with one $13 tool, I would have a semi truck full of them driving around behind me all day.

These do not work, in ANY way whatsoever, and in fact, for years now there have been numerous court battles and class action claims against these manufacturers and retailers/resellers due to false advertising claims. (rb.gy/hr8vws)

Save your $25 and call a professional.

Truth Meter 0/10

Now I know there are going to be a bunch of people in the comments saying “ but when my neighbor did _____ it worked” or “my grandma swears by it”. That is where causation versus correlation comes into play. 

Many of these tall tales of nuisance wildlife control methods came from one “rare” moment where the original technique was attempted, and successful results were achieved, so it is given credit. But is putting dog hair in your garden beds going to deter the rabbits, or is the act of  you going out to your garden bed to add dog hair every two days going to cause the rabbits to not want to be around.

Ultimately the call is yours. Just know I do not carry chewing gum, dog hair, plastic owls, or sonic devices in my truck. And that should tell you all you need to know.

Till next time… see ya folks.