HELP needed asap to get rid of animals destroying yard

12 years ago

OK, OK, I have had enough! Please help me with finding some success in having a pretty yard where I don't have to police the entire place getting rid of cats who use my landscape as a litterbox, squirrels dig everywhere looking for goodies, rabbits love the tender pretty greens, and then the deer will also be chewing later this summer. I have used pepper, I have used blood meal, and believe me DONT use blood meal, when it gets wet and the heat hits it, it develops maggots and STINKS TO HIGH HEAVEN!! Not kidding!

I'm tired of acting like Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies with my bb gun, and the neighbors are going to think I'm crazy!!

I have used black pepper around plants, roses, and then the rabbits are right back the next day. We put down new landscaping mulch, 2 cats have used it as litter tray, what do I do??? PLEASE HELP

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Comments (5)

Robbie3
12 years ago
To get rid of an animal, you have to think like the animal. You also have to consider that the rain and weather will affect your repellents. Deer and rabbits are both repelled by scent and taste. The smart ones smell it and move along, the not so smart or hungry ones have to taste it to be sure. For deer and rabbits I have found that border repellents (hot pepper flakes, blood meal, predator urine etc.) are minimally effective. But combined with a surface repellent like Liquid Fence they are effective. However, you must reapply every time it rains no matter what the label says. Oh..and it stinks. A lot! Until it is dry. You can make your own mixture of rotten eggs, garlic and hot pepper oil. It's basically the same as Liquid Fence and its ilk. I know...not what you wanted to hear.

Fencing is effective if you remember that a white tailed deer is an olympic jumper. 6 feet or higher to keep them out. Rabbits will tunnel under the fence so you have to run a foot across the ground before going upward. I have heard (but never used) that the motion sensor water sprayers work well for deer. The one I have seen around here is the "Scarecrow".

Squirrels bury stuff everywhere! I am not one for harming animals. I had the same problem and resorted to feeding them. I did. I nailed an old plastic pot to a tree. I fill it with feed corn. Then I placed an old hanging basket with soil on a limb near by. They bury the corn right in the basket. It has reduced the damage but not eliminated it. I have not found a repellent that works for them. They are either too smart or too stupid...not sure which.

Cats. Ugh. The Scarecrow water sprayer may work for them. I don't know. I assume these are stray cats? If not, talk to the owners and see in mentioning animal control gets them to keep their cats at home. If they are strays, I would make the call. You can see if there is a group in your area that gathers ferral cats for rescue. I know of a few people who say moth balls work to repel them. I have never tried it.

Everyone's animals are different. I have found that breaking their feeding pattern and remaining diligent is the only way to be effective. I also fence my veggie garden. Too much work there for the risk.

Good Luck! I share your frustration.

Here is a link that might be useful: scarecrow
jean_ar
12 years ago
That scarecrow is a waste of money too.I bought one first to see if it works the way they say. The deer came up and smelled it and stepped over it, didnt faze them at all. only thing I have found that works to save my plants is to beaut up a egg or two. resslly good, add domer tobasco sauce to it,and put it in a gsl. of water and spray whet you dont want eatten. its good for at least 2 weeks, IF it dont rain, if it rains you have to spray again as the rain will wash it off the plants, but it works..
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loreleie
11 years ago
Cats will not crap where they eat and if you plant cat nip they will stop pooping near wherever it's growing.

Squirrels are my biggest problem in the garden. The problem w/ Robbies solution is that the little pests get more food to bury in nearby gardens. They tear apart my potted plantings & container gardens and trample over flowers & vegetables & break the leaves off Begonias & Artichokes so the plants are never able to grow. One thing about squirrels is they retrieve their buried stash by site & memory NOT SCENT or smell. I haven't figured out how to use that to my advantage . . yet, but if you find their buried peanuts the neighbor gave to them in your garden, do not discard them because that squirrel remembers it being there and will dig.
ScarletBugg
11 years ago
I buy a large container of cayenne pepper sprinkle it all over, all my plants flower or veggie, on my window ledges , plus ground with seedlings. That has worked best for me to keep the cats away. I read, then tried Vaseline mixed in cayenne, then smeared it on the pole of my bird feeder, they did not like it , and smeared it all over a bricks trying to get it off. They have yet to return their. To keep deer away I have heard of making sashes filled with human hair. Have not tried that one yet. My parents had been feeding them whole kernel corn for several years. Mom ended up with plants, mostly things that deer did not prefer . Good luck
wertach zone 7-B SC
11 years ago
"That scarecrow is a waste of money too.I bought one first to see if it works the way they say. The deer came up and smelled it and stepped over it, didnt faze them at all."

Did it come on? Did you have a fresh battery? What was the sensor set on? I set mine to max, it starts before anyone or thing gets close to it.

Mine works very well. The deer haven't touched my garden this year except when I let the battery die. I haven't been able to grow much of anything for years until I bought mine.

HELP needed asap to get rid of animals destroying yard

Comments (5)

Robbie3

jean_ar

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wertach zone 7-B SC

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