I hate to say this, but your problem is normal. Ducks and geese will want to spend much of their time on land, eating tender grass shoots, insects, garden plants, etc. Most places that have populations of these birds live to regret it. At least in those locations where the bird and human environment are in close proximity. People that build those large water features as an amenity and don't understand how ducks and geese will use it are creating a real problem for the property owners. As you well know. Adding another pond will likely add to the problem rather than mitigate it. Well, there are a number of spray on repellents that you should try. They will work for awhile. You should also use scare tactics such as imitation reptiles (large), in combination with the repellents. I think that motion activated sprinklers would help, too. The noise and water would startle them. In my city, there is a small lake built within the campus of one of the universities. Ducks and geese pretty much took over the location, creating a health hazard and ruining the landscaping and grass. Repellents worked for a while, as did a remote operated car used to chase them all over the place (hilarious). But the thing that has really helped is the installation of three large alligator decoys that float all year long in the lake. They are secured to the bottom with weights and chains. The population of birds on that lake has been greatly reduced! (Not eliminated, but reduced.) Type in 'goose repellent' into google and do some reading. I think that with a combination of simple things, you can keep the ducks and geese away.

You might check with your county's Vector Control District (if such exits) and/or the local Animal Shelter/ Humane Society. For future refernce: Next time you set out rat/mouse traps, wire it/them to something solid/heavy, such as a sturdy stake or a concrete block. Oh yes. The pond is ok and the turtle will be fine.

Take it from a farm girl, here's how rat poison works /how to make it work most effectively: - If you know where rats are entering your home, start by placing a bowl of refreshing water OUTSIDE your home near this spot. Give the rats a day or two to enjoy the excellent service you're providing. If you don't know where they're entering, well, too bad. You have to skip this step and take your chances. - Rats must eat every single day, and they are highly indiscriminate in their eating habits; that is, they will eat anything they find; thus, if you put out rat poison, they will gobble it up. Place your poison in a quiet spot and keep an eye on it; continue to replenish it until it stops disappearing. Even if new rats see old rats die from the poison, they are not smart enough to put 2 + 2 together, and they will continue to eat. - The poison does something to their insides that makes them thirsty, so they will seek water. Rats are creatures of habit, and they will return to the water you've left for them OUTSIDE the house. The water and the poison don't combine nicely in a rat's belly, and the rats will die. Pretty quickly. - Rats cannot throw up, so they cannot expel the poison. Rat poison will make other animals (like your dog or cat) sick, but you probably already know that your pets are quite capable of throwing up ... so they will PROBABLY expel the poison; of course, this assumes they don't ingest too much. As I said, I grew up on a farm, and at times we had dozens of "barn cats". I never personally saw a cat who appeared to be ill from poison. One rat was caught in a snap trap in basement but seem to eat the poison alot more. Rat traps definitely work, and they're reusable, but they carry a definite "ick factor" because you must dispose of the body. Also, rats are fairly good at stealing your bait while avoiding the hammer. If your rats are pretty good at stealing bait, put out bait in an UNSET trap for a few days ... feed 'em a little; let them think you're running a nice little rat cafe. Once your rats become complacent and think traps aren't dangerous; well, you know the next step: take advantage of the rats' newfound comfort and (literally) bring down the hammer. If you go with traps, place them near the wall in quiet areas. Rats don't like to come out into the center of the room; I've always assumed that they feel too exposed in such situations. I personally suspect your pets have a greater chance of catching /breaking a paw in a rat trap than they do of eating a poisoned rat. Another option no one's mentioning: Rat trap boxes. Disgustingly enough, we have these in my school. You can buy them from Amazon, and they're unobtrusive black plastic boxes kind of like a large flat shoebox. You open them up and put in a good smelling rat-treat. The rat enters the hole and pushes himself around-around-around the twists and turns inside the box in an ever-narrowing tunnel until he reaches the treat. Once he's consumed the yummy-yummy, he discovers that he cannot walk out backwards, and he is stuck. You kick the box every day, and if it rattles a little, you know a rat's been caught. The positive is that you have caught your rat. The negative is that you have caught your rat. What will you do with him now? Your dogs and cats cannot fit into the trap box.

This is a situation with which I have had much experience and the solution is easy if you are diligent and properly motivated. There is no need for a professional exterminating service. Mice often nest in the ground just outside of your foundation, especially if the foundation wall is of old stonework. Cold weather will reduce their food supply and drive them into your house and so will construction excavation. I'm surprised the local building department didn't require a rodent control plan for earthwork next to a townhouse. Its unlikely that they are rats so assume they are mice for now. The mice will enter through the basement and look for food. If the food in the basement is accessible they will go no further. If it is not accessible, they will head for the kitchen and open pet food. The only way to get rid of mice safely and without odors is to trap them. The only effective poison is sold in huge containers and you don't want it in your house. Traps are also the quickest way and you are racing against the next birth cycle and it's short. I've used every mouse trap sold and I discovered that only one is effective: ORTHO HOME DEFENSE MAX "PRESS 'N SET" It is easy to bait and set and will kill mice as soon as the house gets quiet and not stop until they are all gone. Use a dozen traps and place them with the jaws near a straight fun of wall and not in direct sight of humans. The best place is the kitchen counter against the backsplash behind bottles and stuff if possible; that is their highway. Use peanut butter from small disposable "lunch" packets to avoid contaminating a jar of it. Since this trap will not allow them to eat the bait you might not have to rebait the trap for a month. Expect to catch 10 or 20 them in a month before you are done. Don't remove the traps just because you haven't caught one for a few days; the babies may be on the way. If you have trouble doing this give the task to someone else; you can't let the mice take over your house. Happy hunting Here is a link that might be useful: Ortho Press N Set