Topic: Voles

We have loads of holes appearing in our strip. We believe they are caused by Voles and are looking for ways to get rid of them. If we use poison would that cause any problems for the local bird life?


   Tom

Do you mean voles or moles?  I think voles are protected, moles aren't - lots of different solutions commercially available for dealing with them.
Pete

Do you mean voles or moles?  I think voles are protected, moles aren't - lots of different solutions commercially available for dealing with them.
Pete

Threre are no hills, so I think they must be Voles.



   Tom

Could be rabbits, they will dig little divets looking for roots bulbs etc.

Could be rabbits, they will dig little divets looking for roots bulbs etc.

No! These are tunnels about 50mm in dia.

Our strip is built on top of industrial waste, mainly paper. It consists of a layer of clinker on top of the paper and then covered in topsoil. If you dig down near one of the holes you find a tunnel in the soil, with the clinker as the floor of the tunnel.

I have just found an ad for a device that works on th principle of " flight from an earthquake". It's "D" cell battery powered. I wonder how long the batteries would last.


  Tom

Could be rats. 

Some good info here.

Could be rats. 

Holes look a bit too small for rats. Thinking about the tunnels 50mm is probably too much, they could be as small as 30mm. It's a couple of weeks since I acctually looked at them.



  Tom

Holes look a bit too small for rats. Thinking about the tunnels 50mm is probably too much, they could be as small as 30mm. It's a couple of weeks since I acctually looked at them.



  Tom

I think 30mm is too small for rats.

Probably foreign voles then. 

Proper UK voles' holes should be 1¼" diameter. 

Some good info here.

Thanks Pat, I think that confirms we do have Voles, but looks like it wont be easy to get rid. One member suggested going around the edge with metal lawn edging, looks like that might work, but we have quite a big srtip.


  Tom

I think 30mm is too small for rats.

Probably foreign voles then. 

Proper UK voles' holes should be 1¼" diameter. 

LOL Good job I'd finished my coffee.


   Tom

What you want is one of the agricultural machines Rich Hall mentioned on QI the other night. It sucked gophers out their burrows. 

Could be rabbits, they will dig little divets looking for roots bulbs etc.

Yeah, thats the problem we have, small holes, or U/C removers, appearing in the surface of the patch. The field is swarming with rabbits.
Any way we can 'discourage' them ?
Ray.

Do you mean voles or moles?  I think voles are protected, moles aren't - lots of different solutions commercially available for dealing with them.
Pete

Water voles are protected. Bank or field voles can be trapped:

The Bank Vole - Myodes glareolus

Yeah, thats the problem we have, small holes, or U/C removers, appearing in the surface of the patch. The field is swarming with rabbits.
Any way we can 'discourage' them ?
Ray.

... and don't forget the string around your trouser legs! 

All together now-------------------------Aaaaah !
Ray.

Trust a man from the north east to suggest ferrets.  It'll be a whippet, a pigeon and flat caps next

Geoff

Trust a man from the north east to suggest ferrets.  It'll be a whippet, a pigeon and flat caps next

Geoff

Whey aye man. 

One of our local characters used to keep hens, pigeons, geese & ferrets in his allotment. He fed the birds from what he grew plus bread & veg leftovers from home. The ferrets got the leftovers from rabbit stew, the odd non-laying hen & tardy pigeons after a race & any leftover goose around about Boxing Day. 

Bill Murray in caddyshack has some good ways of getting rid of gophers - might work for voles - also Jasper Carrott had a few good ideas as well - trouble is it rids the problem but doesnt do a lot for the flying site. 

If you can get permission how about spraying the patch with weedkiller?  If there's no vegetation, they've no reason to go there.

I'm told that petrol makes a good weedkiller - especially if you apply amatch.   

NNF

If you can get permission how about spraying the patch with weedkiller?  If there's no vegetation, they've no reason to go there.

I'm told that petrol makes a good weedkiller - especially if you apply amatch.  

NNF

What about the grass?



  Tom

Never mind the grass, what about the land owner. 

Never mind the grass, what about the land owner. 

You don't spray him. 

Don't set fire to him either. 

somethings only protected if someone else finds out... if i ever got bats in my roof you can be sure i wouldn't be asking for advice here.
it'd be block the exits and send in a cat.

could try and borrow a weasel or stoat 

could try and borrow a weasel or stoat 

www.rentastoat.com or www.weaselsRus.com

Sorted. 

www.rentastoat.com or www.weaselsRus.com

Sorted. 

 Sorry! We could not find www.rentastoat.com

It may be unavailable or may not exist. Try using the suggestions or related links below, or search again using our web search. Or failing that, don't click on links by anyone who claims to be perdu when he knows exactly where he is. 

Merde, je suis découvert. 

our strip is on an organic farm so no chemicals are allowed, so if you do consider using poisons check that the farm is not organic.

our strip is on an organic farm so no chemicals are allowed, so if you do consider using poisons check that the farm is not organic.

Our strip is not on a farm, or even anywhere near a farm, except for some sheep that are on adjoining land. It is industrial wasteland and there probably are more nasty toxins beneath the surface than anything we would be likely to use. However, we don't want to use poison in case it  would be harmful if one of the predatory birds were to eat a poisoned animal.


   Tom

We've been using using rat poison around our chickens (well covered, of course) for a while and I've never yet seen a dead rat on the surface.

I think, like most animals, they chose to die somewhere private. (Aw, I feel all sad now) 

We have loads of holes appearing in our strip. We believe they are caused by Voles and are looking for ways to get rid of them. If we use poison would that cause any problems for the local bird life?


   Tom

I think you'll find they are protected - Voles that is. I'm not sure about Moles.

Yes any  contaminant or poison will effect other wild life. Certian poisons affect the strength of birds shells, others affect thier oils.

My mind conjurs up visions on Moles and Voles with Hard Hts and mounds of earth with ack ack guns and search lights - of course this could be my new drugs.

Most poisons effect the water table and are very bad for fresh water fish.

It can cause fish to get that furry killer disease on thier scales.

My own opion and I'd probably get shouted down for this is that Voles and Moles are only doing what they are supposed to do and anyway the Mole or Vole is considered a friend of all model traders. A good Vole or Mole hill can take a retract out anytime.

Ther eis no truth in the rumour than SWM have trained special attack sqauds of Voles and Moles to help sell replacement Chris Foss Under carriages and retracts*

Cheers

Steve

* It's an idea though

We've been using using rat poison around our chickens (well covered, of course) for a while and I've never yet seen a dead rat on the surface.

I think, like most animals, they chose to die somewhere private. (Aw, I feel all sad now) 

Where Rats are concerned doesnt the poisen thin down the blood and cause dehydration and thinning of the blood, so that the rat effetively dies an agonising death hemorrhaging to death while dehydrating at the same time.

They usually crawl of somewhere dark and solitary to die. Then stink up the place by being dead somewhere that can't be got at!

There's nowt worse than the smell of a dead rat. I have an interesting and funny story about a dead rat. Maybe one day...

Wharfren? Warfren? not sure if thats spelt correctly is also used to help humans with heart and blood pressure problems. I'm not sure how bad an effect that has on other wild life.

Steve

They usually crawl of somewhere dark and solitary to die. Then stink up the place by being dead somewhere that can't be got at!

I wonder if that's what happens when I have a Vindaloo. 

check with planning they may not have permission to dig there

I wonder if that's what happens when I have a Vindaloo. 

It's certianly similar Owen, I'll wager that!

Vindaloo - Jeeze with my stomach falling apart, I think that would be the end of me. I love spicey food, but my stomach doesnt! Years of drugs that have destroyed the lining. Having said that the wife still says there are occasions when....eeerm....lets just say..'dead rat', 'up' - somewhere... is a question on her lips..

See we have lowered the tone of this thread!

On a Serious note - I got told off by Ann for suggesting crack squads of trained voles and moles could have possibly come from SWM!

and on a much more serious note. There are different species of Voles and some are endangered - so don't end up like Mark E Smith from the Pop Group the Fall - check if they can be dealt with before dealing with them? They might have a protection order on them.

as a little trivia does anyone know what happened to Mark E Smith ( alledgedly?)

Steve

check with planning they may not have permission to dig there

They could be 'travelling' Moles or Voles in which case they won't care 


Steve

Wharfren? Warfren?

Steve

Warfarin. 

Steve, It's only Water Voles that are protected and only Moles not Voles that make hills
The Vole holes are probably worse than the Mole hills, as you can see the hills, but the holes are only visible if you are standing over them.



   Tom