Moles!

A'sta at Hofstead · #1 04/22/08, 08:25 AM

They are digging up our beautiful lawn!
My friend has them in her yard too. Never had a big problem before this year. I think it is because of the early heavy snow, the ground never really froze so they probably multiplied like bunnies.
I was told to put bits of bubble gum by the mounds and they will eat it and die because they can't digest it. But what about my chickens? I can't use poison because of this..... I want them GONE! Any ideas?

NativeRose · #2 04/22/08, 08:53 AM

My hubby's uncle came up the idea to plug all of the holes in his yard leaving one open. He then rigged up a hose to the exhaust on his lawnmower and fed the hose down the mole hole. He started the mower and let it run until he saw smoke coming out of some of the plugged areas. He killed the moles or ran them off. His yard is not large so this worked for him. My yard is too large. I would have to run a hose off the tractor to do any good at all.

Does anyone have any other ideas for those of us who don't use poison?

nappint · #3 04/22/08, 09:04 AM

We had voles which are much smaller than moles in our yard - but we had tons of them (still do but at least their in the pastures now

) ) they would eat the grass roots so we would have trails of dead grass all through the yard that would end with a mound of dirt

We tried everything from castor oil - works for a while but they always came back - to those sonic noise devices - didn't work at all. The one thing that worked was bringing home a German Shepherd LOL!

Probably not what you wanted to hear

but we haven't had one in the yard since.

TxAprilMagic · #4 04/22/08, 09:30 AM

Mole chaser, Lehmans. It really works

http://www.lehmans.com/shopping/sear...rd=mole+chaser

bqz · #5 04/22/08, 10:23 AM

No expert here,but I'm not sure they are after the grass roots.I think they are after grubs in your lawn roots.
My best advice would be to get rid of there food source and they will leave.
Just my two Lincolns worth.

Hope it helps.

Beltane · #6 04/22/08, 07:29 PM

I was amazed at how many 'tunnels' we had hear when the snow melted. I don't remember it being this bad before.

Beaners · #7 04/22/08, 07:52 PM

I second the recommendation to let a dog near them. I remember a 120lb rottweiler/lab mix pouncing on the things with all four feet when they would break the surface, and digging down for them when they didn't.

Of course, the yard looked worse when the dog was done catching the moles than it did when the moles were tunneling. And I thought they ate the grubs too, not the grass.

Kayleigh

jil101ca · #8 04/22/08, 08:22 PM

I had them last year at my old house. I poured hot stuff down the holes, potatoe water, bacon grease what ever. the moles left...

Ohio Rusty · #9 04/22/08, 08:28 PM

A really simple solution is Wrigleys Juicy Fruit gum. No other gum will work. Break sticks in half and put the gum pieces inside their tunnels. They are attracted to the smell and taste. They will eat the gum, but cannot digest it. It blocks their intestines and they die of intestinal blockage.
Ohio Rusty ><>

MelissaW · #10 04/23/08, 09:33 AM

I've had success with a mole chaser windmill, but they only work over a small area (I was using them in my perrenial beds because we don't have a real lawn, just a pasture with a house in it really). As for dogs, my Shetland Sheepdog was the best mole killer ever. She didn't dig holes for fun like a terrier, but she had a spectacular prey drive, and we didn't have a mouse, mole or rat on the place when she was alive. The three GSD's I have now wouldn't eat a mole unless you roasted it and poured gravy over it.

A'sta at Hofstead · #11 04/23/08, 09:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ohio Rusty

A really simple solution is Wrigleys Juicy Fruit gum. No other gum will work. Break sticks in half and put the gum pieces inside their tunnels. They are attracted to the smell and taste. They will eat the gum, but cannot digest it. It blocks their intestines and they die of intestinal blockage.
Ohio Rusty ><>

Will gum hurt chickens?

Oggie · #12 04/23/08, 09:54 AM

Used kitty litter dumped into any hole that you can find.

Moles hate evil.

Either that, or see if you can find a good dermatologist.

Nancy · #13 04/23/08, 05:09 PM

The last few years we've had a lot of trouble with moles as well. We have two German Shepards so that's not the answer. I have heard also that we need to treat for grubs. I need to buy some Grubx. I was hoping they'd eat all the grubs and then we'd be rid of the moles but so far, no luck

NeHomesteader · #14 04/23/08, 09:28 PM

I bought this mole trap and my husband thought i'd wasted money. Now there is no way he'd get rid of it. It really works when nothing else does.
www.easymoletrap.com 1-888-778-7988 Dawn

soulsurvivor · #15 04/23/08, 09:57 PM

I'd loan you my cat, but she's still busy catching the moles, voles?, here in our yard and property. What's the difference between a mole and a vole? Can't believe I don't know this at my old age. Whatever these things are that the cat's catching are about the size of a big rat with black fur. Looks like a mole to me. Wouldn't take no amount of money for the cat. We've had her about 4 years now and haven't had a mouse in the house since. She's an outdoor cat that we keep out in the shop at night. She catches mice in there too.

nappint · #16 04/23/08, 10:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulsurvivor

I'd loan you my cat, but she's still busy catching the moles, voles?, here in our yard and property. What's the difference between a mole and a vole? Can't believe I don't know this at my old age. Whatever these things are that the cat's catching are about the size of a big rat with black fur. Looks like a mole to me. Wouldn't take no amount of money for the cat. We've had her about 4 years now and haven't had a mouse in the house since. She's an outdoor cat that we keep out in the shop at night. She catches mice in there too.

Well...we have little moles we call voles - they look like moles with the long nose and shovel hands but they are about he size and color of a fieldmouse.

Don't let the size fool you though they can still do a lot of damage. Our yard is st. augustine grass, nice and thick (now) but when they were making their home here you could literally see all their tunnels and their chamber areas because the grass would go from thick and lush to dirt - it was terrible

The dog has been wonderful! Love her to death - thankfully she doesn't dig them up and quite frankly I have no idea what she does

but they don't come in the yard anymore...now walking to the barn is another story

I wish I had a cat like yours - all we have are lazy, fur-covered slugs around here.