Something is burrowing in my shed

wicklowtown

Hi, Im hoping someone can help me. I went to my 7 x 6 foot metal shed that has a wooden floor for the first time this year, I couldnt get the sliding doors to open and as the sheds in a shaded area of the garden i couldnt see what what preventing the doors from opening so I went and got a torch. When i shined it inside the shed most of the wooden floor seems to have rotted away. On top of the floor (or what was the floor) in different areas of the shed are big mounds of earth and im just wondering if anyone would have any ideas of what kind of animal is obviously living under the floor of my shed. Most of the floor is covered in earth but the actual mounds are around 1- 1.5 feet in diameter. To be honest im a bit scared to check it out as im a middle aged lady and though im not scared of many animals its the fact i dont know what this animal might be and thats whats worrying me. I should also add i have 6 small dogs and 3 cats who use my garden so i would have thought any animal would avoid taking up residence in my garden even if it is inside my shed. My dogs are house dogs but in good weather my cats often stay out at night. Any help would be appreciated as im extremely nervous to investigate these mounds of earth when i have no clue what i might be dealing with. Thanks
P.S I originally put this up in the interior design section so moving it here as i dont know what to do. Thanks again

deletthis

99% sounds like a badger. Nans been at war with her local stripy b***stard for years. Only thing keeping her sane.

wicklowtown

Badgers bite people dont they? Yeah that doesnt sound good. Do you know if theres anyone i can contact about it as if its a badger surely theres a society who would trap them and let them go in a field somewhere. I dont know much about badgers but i wouldnt like to hurt one.

Gravelly

wicklowtown wrote: »

Badgers bite people dont they? Yeah that doesnt sound good. Do you know if theres anyone i can contact about it as if its a badger surely theres a society who would trap them and let them go in a field somewhere. I dont know much about badgers but i wouldnt like to hurt one.

I know loads of people you can contact, but they won't be letting Mr. Badger go in a field somewhere......

Gravelly

deletthis wrote: »

99% sounds like a badger. Nans been at war with her local stripy b***stard for years. Only thing keeping her sane.

Are you sure that's a badger and not a traffic warden?

wicklowtown

you'd are very funny! No i dont like the idea of killing a badger even if its taken up home in my shed. I dont know what's more worrying to me as i was thinking it might be rats but the only time ive seen rats near my garden was when they were building the housing estate above my estate which was over 20 years ago. Or a badger. I dont want to go near my shed now!

Suckit

Are there any dung piles in your garden? Anything being moved around?


http://www.discoverwildlife.com/british-wildlife/how-identify-animal-droppings

Badger

Faeces can be very variable – soft and even runny when they have been eating worms, or solid and firm, like a large, fat sausage, when eating wheat or fruit.
Where badgers are common, these are generally deposited in shallow pits, but are more generally just left on the surface. Easily recognised by sweet, musky smell.

http://www.downthelane.net/garden-wildlife/identifying-animal-droppings.php

Glass fused light

Badger are a protected species in ireland, and it's illegal to kill them
Try locating your local wildlife ranger and ask to advice

http://www.irishwildlifematters.ie/animals/contacts.html#GO-NPWS

If you mail some pics to a mod they may post them up for,you

Day Lewin

Badgers are strictly nocturnal, so look out the window at night if you want to identify your visitor for sure.
Also, they make latrines - scrapes in the ground for droppings: and they peel back lawn grass to get at earthworms, insects, bulbs etc. So there would be signs to see.

They do NOT attack humans unless provoked, eg during cruel and illegal blood sports.

They're also usually social animals with a colony: so your creature would be just passing through on teh way to setting up a home.

If you disturb the place, it will move on.

That is, if it IS a badger: what makes you so sure?

A fox would be much commoner, especially at this time of year with growing cubs.

And even rats can throw up big mounds of earth - I've seen them do it.

Please, please, do NOT take aggressive action before identifying the creature and considering humane measures if it really bothers you.

magicbastarder

your location states you're in wicklow town - if you are in an urban/suburban area, i'd guess a fox is more likely too.

wicklowtown

Thanks for all the advice everyone but to be honest im even more worried now foxes has been mentioned. I dont believe in hurting any animal so i wouldnt do anything like that even my daughter was appalled when i said i would probably put down snap traps if i knew it was rats so thats out as well. Ive phoned Wicklow County Council environmental department yesterday who said they cant help me and gave me the number for Wicklow Parks and Wildlife whom i phoned a few times yesterday but no one answered the phone so i emailed them yesterday early evening and as yet havent heard back from them. Im really at a loss as to what to do but all i do know is until i find someone who can give me advice and please god come out and take a look i think im going to just ignore the problem and keep my shed locked. I cant see anywhere around the outside of my shed thats been disturbed where an animal can get in and i do know my dogs alerted me to a hedgehog in my garden a few years back so i would assume if it was actually in my garden my dogs would be going nuts like they did with the hedgehog, we'er real big animal lovers but this is just too close even for us Thanks again for everyones advice and thoughts and if i find out whats living in/under my shed i will let everyone know

magicbastarder

you've nothing to fear from foxes. we get them in our back garden all the time.

Dial Hard

wicklowtown wrote: »

Thanks for all the advice everyone but to be honest im even more worried now foxes has been mentioned.

I don't understand what you're so afraid of? What do you think is going to happen?

Gravelly

Dial Hard wrote: »

I don't understand what you're so afraid of? What do you think is going to happen?

magicbastarder

don't forget that if you've foxes, you're less likely to have rats in the area.

wicklowtown

I dont want to get bitten by a mother who at this time of year would probably have babies so would be more aggressive than normal. I dont think thats unreasonable. The only reason i would be worried about having foxes in my back garden is that they could very well attack my dogs or cats, my dogs only weigh between 4.5-8 lbs so i would think they are smaller than a fox. saying that ive lived here now for 23 years and ive never seen a fox in my garden or heard of anyone else on my estate seeing a fox in our area

wexie

I have to say I'm pretty curious, if there is no obvious way for something to have gotten in or under the shed.

Yet something is now inside?

Effects

wicklowtown wrote: »

Badgers bite people dont they?

Nope.

recedite

Day Lewin wrote: »

And even rats can throw up big mounds of earth - I've seen them do it.

I'm going with this simple answer, unless a badger has been seen.


Badgers have very poor eyesight themselves BTW, so if there was one in your garden you'd be quite likely to bump into it, or at least see it wandering around.

wexie

recedite wrote: »

Badgers have very poor eyesight themselves BTW, so if there was one in your garden you'd be quite likely to bump into it, or at least see it wandering around.

Is that why we're most likely to see them dead by the side of the road

Wouldn't mind seeing a live one at some stage I have to say

monty_python

Sounds like a vampire looking for somewhere to bury it's latest victim.

Call the bishop straight away.

recedite

wexie wrote: »

Wouldn't mind seeing a live one at some stage I have to say

I was out for a walk one evening, around twilight, when a whole family came out of hedge just about 10-15 metres in front of me. 2 adults and 4 or 5 cubs. I stopped dead in my tracks, and just watched them mooching about in the grass at the side of the road, looking for worms or whatever. Because I was upwind of them, they had no idea I was there, even though I was so close.
After about 5 mins a car came along and they went back through the hedge out of sight.


Great memory though. Hopefully you'll be lucky enough to see something similar some day.

Day Lewin

wicklowtown wrote: »

I dont want to get bitten by a mother who at this time of year would probably have babies so would be more aggressive than normal. I dont think thats unreasonable. The only reason i would be worried about having foxes in my back garden is that they could very well attack my dogs or cats, my dogs only weigh between 4.5-8 lbs so i would think they are smaller than a fox. saying that ive lived here now for 23 years and ive never seen a fox in my garden or heard of anyone else on my estate seeing a fox in our area

Please, let me lay your fears to rest!
At this time of years fox cubs are already half-grown up, and their mothers are not with them most of the time: but fox family groups still stay near the cubs but they do NOT attack humans.
I have seen many, many foxes in my garden over the years, once I even saw our small dainty cat eating from the same piece of wood as a male fox.
Foxes are not as big as you might think, and they run from dogs, not towards them: and they just peacefully co-exist with cats.
If you had foxes breeding you would see toys, feathers, food wrappers scattered around, and droppings.
Rat is still possible, even likely; and while most people don't like to see rats, they are actually found everywhere and are ignored as long as they stay out of sight. Removing all sources of food, and hiding places, would be the best treatment.

Please let us know how you got on - now that our curiosity is roused!

Glass fused light

wexie wrote: »

Is that why we're most likely to see them dead by the side of the road

I would say its a combination of factors
They are animals who forage at night, and so are hard to spot but bigger so easier to hit in a car.
They dont have perdator so would not be as fearful as other creatures who would move off the road when they see or hear something comming towards them.
Their size compared to other nocturnal animals makes the body easier to spot on the roads and as carrion harder for other animals to move

Deub

It could be a mole. I had one few years ago bringing up a big pile of earth as it was building a nest. It was in a kind of shed under a slab (20cm•20cm) made of plaster and it had no problem pushing it up. If the wooden floor is rotten, it could be a possibility.
It would explain why you don't see any entrances outside.
Pictures would definitely help.

Edit: Apparently there are no moles in Ireland so... No it is not a possibility.

Grab All Association

You need a lizard

If the lizard doesn’t leave then you’ll need a Chinese needle snake

If the snake doesn’t leave you’ll need a gorilla

The beautiful part is when winter rolls around the gorilla will freeze to death

Day Lewin

Deub wrote: »

It could be a mole. I had one few years ago bringing up a big pile of earth as it was building a nest. It was in a kind of shed under a slab (20cm•20cm) made of plaster and it had no problem pushing it up. If the wooden floor is rotten, it could be a possibility.
It would explain why you don't see any entrances outside.
Pictures would definitely help.

No moles in the wild in Ireland: I've never heard of one being found or even seen.
Seriously, I know the Irish mammals: the animals that burrow underground are badger, fox (rarely enough) rabbit and rat.
On a smaller scale, Things like ants, bees, mice may dwell underground in earth holes: but pushing up mounds would be too much for them!
Almost certainly rats.

TheShow

Let us know how you get on. Post a few pics. I need closure!!

gozunda

Day Lewin wrote: »

Badgers are strictly nocturnal, so look out the window at night if you want to identify your visitor for sure.
Also, they make latrines - scrapes in the ground for droppings: and they peel back lawn grass to get at earthworms, insects, bulbs etc. So there would be signs to see.
They do NOT attack humans unless provoked, eg during cruel and illegal blood sports.
They're also usually social animals with a colony: so your creature would be just passing through on teh way to setting up a home.
If you disturb the place, it will move on.
That is, if it IS a badger: what makes you so sure?
A fox would be much commoner, especially at this time of year with growing cubs.
And even rats can throw up big mounds of earth - I've seen them do it.
Please, please, do NOT take aggressive action before identifying the creature and considering humane measures if it really bothers you.

First of all - from the OPs description of the earth mounds etc and the lack of any sightings - I would say you probably have rats. With the amount of earth etc you may have a significant colony - that would be a serious h&s issue if that is the case. Maybe get in touch with a pest control company to verify thst the issue is or othercase and then decide what to do?

Personally I don't think it sounds like a fox. Not to make an issue of the above comment- however fox attacks on pets other animals and even children have been well documented.

http://www.freewebs.com/nwtf/03 Live stock & Pets Cat.jpg

https://davidjmobrien.files.wordpress.com/2014/03/fox-roe-fawn.jpg

http://www.bbc.com/news/10251349

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276529/Fox-attacks-baby-First-picture-week-old-Denny-Dolan-finger-ripped-Bromley-home.html

https://www.irishmirror.ie/news/irish-news/irishman-killed-fox-stamping-death-9527344

https://metro.co.uk/2018/02/15/killer-urban-fox-attacks-baby-bouncer-sneaking-family-home-7314171/

https://amp.independent.ie/irish-news/news/elderly-woman-needs-twenty-stitches-after-vicious-fox-attack-34370130.html

Cantona's Collars

Maybe it's an ass blaster?

Anyone that's seen Tremors will know what they are.

magicbastarder

gozunda wrote: »

Personally I don't think it sounds like a fox. Not to make an issue of the above comment- however fox attacks on pets other animals and even children have been well documented.

one or two of those sites are blocked in work - but four attacks document in the last ten years, across ireland and the UK.
i know more people who have been injured by babies than by foxes. not hard, since the latter is zero.

blackbox

Great thread. The suspense is killing me.

My money is on rats.

gozunda

magicbastarder wrote: »

one or two of those sites are blocked in work - but four attacks document in the last ten years, across ireland and the UK.
i know more people who have been injured by babies than by foxes. not hard, since the latter is zero.

Nope. That's just selection of reports on attacks tbh - though not all by any means. And its not a competition with humans either - attacks by foxes have happened - also seems a bigger problem with urban foxes who have lost their fear of humans.

RebelButtMunch

OP Any chance of pics and something to help with the scale of the mounds?

Grab All Association

Badger my aśś, it’s probably Milhouse.

deletthis

Grab All Association wrote: »

Badger my aśś, it’s probably Milhouse.

Man that’s a sweet looking reply, why doesn’t mine look like that?!

my3cents

Cantona's Collars wrote: »

Maybe it's an ass blaster?

Anyone that's seen Tremors will know what they are.

Worse still it could be Kevin Bacon :eek:

TomOnBoard

Any progress on getting a trail cam installed? The suspense is clearly driving some ppl mad..

They now have a Right to Know... ;-)

BarryD2

If it's an established urban area in Wicklow town, I'd be thinking fox. They are pretty mobile, good climbers and adaptable - more cat like than dog like. I associate badgers more with rural ditches and woodlands, maybe if there's new housing nearby their old habitats have been disturbed and they moved to your shed but seems unlikely otherwise. Rats are funny creatures, seem to have a great sense of territory. We used to have them in an old outhouse which I cleared away to build a house extension and they kept trying to move back in!

wicklowtown

wexie wrote: »

I have to say I'm pretty curious, if there is no obvious way for something to have gotten in or under the shed.

Yet something is now inside?

Ive been all around the outside of my shed and theres no signs of burrowing or digging, not even from my dogs

wicklowtown

I live just up the road from the main street in Wicklow Town, Ive never seen foxes anywhere near my house or estate and i havent seen rats anywhere near since building finished on the estate above us around 20 years ago. one of my three cats is always catching birds so i would assume if there were rats in my garden she would have caught one by now and left it on my back door step like she unfortunately does with birds. Someone from @chg.gov.ie emailed me saying "Hi Donna,I was passed on your inquiry regards burrows in your shed. I hope to call out to you tomorrow and will contact you before hand." So im just waiting on this phone call and hopefully he will know what kind of animal would do this. I should also of mentioned there a real strong animal smell in the shed but we had pet mice and rats as children and its doesnt smell like i remember them smelling when their homes needed cleaning out its just a real musky smell

wexie

wicklowtown wrote: »

Ive been all around the outside of my shed and theres no signs of burrowing or digging, not even from my dogs

You're back!!! We were all a bit worried that the beast in the shed had caught and devoured you

wicklowtown wrote: »

Someone from @chg.gov.ie emailed me saying "Hi Donna,I was passed on your inquiry regards burrows in your shed. I hope to call out to you tomorrow and will contact you before hand." So im just waiting on this phone call and hopefully he will know what kind of animal would do this.

Hope they'll be able to shed (hurhur) some light on this for you and perhaps help you get rid of (relocate) whatever is living there.

Do keep us informed, I doubt I'm the only one curious

Doctors room ghost

My money is on hedgehog first and rat second.fox third now that I saw mention of a musky smell

mugsymugsy

Doctors room ghost wrote: »

My money is on hedgehog first and rat second.

What odds you get quoted at paddy power

Doctors room ghost

mugsymugsy wrote: »

What odds you get quoted at paddy power

Power not taking any more bets but I got evens on the hedgehog with Boyle sports and early morning reports of rat being backed off the boards.also a strong afternoon market reported for fox after mention of musky smells with big money bets reported and plenty of parade ring whispers

recedite

wicklowtown wrote: »

Ive been all around the outside of my shed and theres no signs of burrowing or digging, not even from my dogs

Vampires can control wolves and dogs.

TheShow

easily the best thread on the whole of boards.
Please keep us informed.

Glass fused light

It just occurred to me that as its in an urban area it may not be native but a missing pet.




(What's the odds on hedgehogs )

Oliolioli

If it's a real musky smell, my money is on a fox. There is a very distinctive fox smell & it's rather pungent. Question is how are they getting into the shed though. You would have to be able to see some sort of way in unless they have a very long tunnel which would be surprising.

wexie

Oliolioli wrote: »

If it's a real musky smell, my money is on a fox. There is a very distinctive fox smell & it's rather pungent.

One of my dogs absolutely loves it and will roll around in it every chance he gets.

And it's pungent alright

Doctors room ghost

Glass fused light wrote: »

It just occurred to me that as its in an urban area it may not be native but a missing pet.




(What's the odds on hedgehogs )

Hedgehog currently at evens with Boyle sports
Mole declared non runner as not native to Ireland.