New neighbors moved in (they are so cute)

[Omaha Steve]

Mr and Mrs Woodchuck. We have lived with Fontenelle Forest for our back yard since Nov. 06. Yesterday was our first woodchuck siting. Today we also noticed the first chipmunks since we got here. I hope to get a photo over the weekend. But the weather doesn't look good. So it may be a week or two. Yes Marta and I are tree loving liberals.

http://www.fontenelleforest.org/

[Warpy]

1. Woodchucks will go through your garden like a lawnmower.

Either you need to surround it with a four foot fence buried a foot underground, or you need to go out every day and spray your valuable fruits, veggies and flowers with a water and capsaicin solution--habaneros in a blender, strained and put into a spray bottle work fine.

Or you can find somebody with a new baby and get a used disposable diaper to stuff into their den to encourage them to move.

They're cute but they're not that cute.

[Omaha Steve]

3. Car trouble traced to gnawing rodent

I forgot about this story in last weeks paper.

http://www.omaha.com/index.php?u_page=2798&u_sid=10603731

Published Monday April 6, 2009
Car trouble traced to gnawing rodent
BY CINDY GONZALEZ
WORLD-HERALD STAFF WRITER

The thought of a beady-eyed Punxsatawney Phil look-alike camping out under her car hood already had Merrilee Faubel creeped out.

Then she got socked with the cost of the critter's mischief: $1,800.

Adding insult (albeit good-natured) to injury, the jokes now are pouring in:

How many car wires would a woodchuck chew if a woodchuck couldn't chuck wood?

Teased another friend: Does this mean six more weeks of winter?

"Sure, it's all fun and games till it happens to you," said Faubel, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Chuck Hagel.

Turns out that Faubel's guest woodchuck - also known as a groundhog, land beaver or whistlepig - is not your typical engine hugger. But similar visits by distant cousins during cold snaps are not so uncommon.

Squirrels, mice and cats sometimes climb into engine compartments to keep warm, said Faubel's auto repair guys. Rodents such as woodchucks may rummage for food, get bored and gnaw at wires and fuel lines.

Faubel's woodchuck was no ordinary chewer.

FULL story at link.

[doctor jazz]

4. They'll go through your lawnmower pretty quick too...if you have a fast mower.

:D :rofl:

[Blue Diadem]

11. and watch out for their darn holes.

My former Sil battles them. (I tend to think they win) When my daughter and he were married, I was at their place running with my granddaughter through what they called their pasture around dusk. Never saw the hole at the edge. Good thing it was knee deep before it turned off otherwise I probably would have broken something.

[barbtries]

2. i'd love to see the chipmunks

i know they're around here but have never seen one.

[Journeyman]

5. The last new neighbor I had was a three-foot tall Great Blue Heron. . .

I looked out the window to see him standing knee-high in my koi pond, enjoying sushi at my expense. Wonderful bird, magnificent to behold, but most unwelcome -- especially as he was there just to enjoy the buffet!

We built a cage over the pond that afternoon. First time I'd ever seen a cage built to keep a bird out.

[Historic NY]

6. Me and my local "vole" are going to have showdown......

little bugger found the buried pipe fo cable & telephone for my garage. All the sunflowers I save were eaten. He better hope my resident hawks get him first.

Note to self: use the fast lawnmower.

[Digit]

7. My yard is infested with voles

They are doing quite a number on my shrubs.

[buzzard]

8. Mr Woodchuck is in my backyard and I am finding him anything but cute. I chase him daily as he chows

down on my newly sprouting perennials. Would yours be interested in a threesome.

[Historic NY]

9. Have -a-heart trap & peanut butter on lettuce gets them fast....

you can take them on a long, long ride like to the shore.

[buzzard]

12. I could never harm the damn thing but a live trap would be fine with me. Do they really like PB and

lettuce.?

[Historic NY]

13. Hey it worked for me, I think the scent got him, just make his goodies obvious.

[Hansel]

10. I had woodchuck in my yard last year.

It cause a very heavy retainer wall and adjacent tiers to collapse and sank my shed. I had to have the wall rebuilt and replace the shed to the tune of several thousand dollars.

If you have a shed or garden wall, make sure everything is cleared away from them (they like to be shielded by shrubs and piles of wood as they dig). Also, spray a mixture of 1/3 ammonia to 2/3 water around buildings, walls and plants. This mixture is a great fertilizer and your flowers will never look better. You can also leave ammonia soaked rags around.

Chipmunks also caused our front porch (made of cement) to sink about 1/2 inch and were happy to help the Woodchuck to collapse the wall. Ammonia works with them too.

[amborin]

14. we have gohpers,

rats and coyotes

the rats have always been here, but they're especially drawn to the bird food we have out