How to get rid of a dog in the garden

Many gardeners, having arrived at their dacha at the beginning of spring, are horrified to discover that uninvited guests have visited the garden beds - they have gnawed the tree bark, “plowed” the garden beds and destroyed the entire harvest of winter crops.

Rodents are dangerous pests of gardens and vegetable gardens, and if mice and hares feed on tree bark only in severe winter frosts, then pests such as “Chinese dogs” harm the garden and crops left to overwinter throughout the winter season. In the article I will tell you who the “Chinese dogs” are, present this rodent pest in a photo and list the main methods of dealing with the dangerous “neighbor”.

Features of character and lifestyle

Photo: Mexican prairie dog
Prairie dogs are social and very sociable animals, living in large colonies that can contain several thousand furry inhabitants. Animals are active during the day, doing not only feeding, but also other daily activities. They, like marmots or gophers, love to stand on their hind legs and monitor their surroundings.

The colony of dogs is divided into families consisting of a pair of males, several females (from 3 to 5) and cubs, ranging from six to thirty pieces. Family ties between dogs are very warm and close; the animals can often be seen sniffing and grooming each other's fur.

As noted, underground prairie dog sites are very intricate, deep, and extensive. They go down to a depth of three to five meters and are about fifteen centimeters in diameter. The equipped dungeon is very reliable and protected from landslides and flooding.

The dogs even have separately dug latrines, which, when completely filled, are buried with earth and new ones are built. The entire life of these amazing rodents is very thought out and well organized, each one minds his own business, fulfilling the duties assigned to him.

Among the dogs there are:

guards ensuring the security of the fort;
builders arranging and digging new corridors and repairing old passages;
educators who train young animals and instill in them the necessary life skills.

In general, prairie dogs have very close contact with each other, showing sociability and good nature. They have a well-developed system of various sound and gesture signals designed for various situations. They can be described as peaceful, friendly and caring creatures with close family ties.

The black-tailed prairie dog is awake all year round; it does not hibernate; it actively moves even in the snow. The remaining dogs are in a state of winter suspended animation from the end of August to March, so they actively gain weight before hibernation.

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Want to know everything

Somehow even I forgot that such rodents exist.

Prairie dogs (lat. Cynomys) are considered typical inhabitants of the plains located in the western part of North America. Funny animals belong to the squirrel family. Before the development of grass-covered territories began, the number of animals living within these boundaries reached 100 million individuals.

Here's what else you can remember about them.

Photo 2.

Sociable rodents live in families (up to 20 individuals), united in large colonies. Their presence is revealed by heaps of earth thrown out of the holes, forming a ring shaft near the entrance. In the underground settlement, each family is allocated a separate plot. Adult males successfully cope with the role of protectors, protecting the family from the encroachments of neighbors. Particular attention is paid to maintaining a strict hierarchy. Each animal performs certain functions.

Externally, prairie dogs resemble gophers. The name is associated with characteristic behavioral features. Animals coming to the surface make sounds similar to abrupt barks. Each cry is accompanied by tail beats. The animals inform each other about the approaching danger, after which they disappear into their burrows. They have enough enemies. On land, rodents are attacked by snakes, badgers, coyotes and foxes. Animals are pursued from the sky by birds of prey (hawks, golden eagles, falcons).

Photo 3.

The plowing of the prairies was marked by the displacement of prairie dogs from the occupied territories. The individuals living in the pastures were exterminated by cowboys and shepherds. The latter hated rodents because horses and cattle broke their legs in holes located at a distance of 1-5 m from the surface. Food competition also contributed to the aggravation of the situation. The animals devoured flowers, plant seeds, buds and shoots that were used as food for domestic animals. Grasses make up 3/4 of the prairie dog's diet. The rest is allocated to fresh fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds. They also do not disdain worms and insects, although such preferences are not typical for rodents.

Remedy for dog in the garden

How to get rid of slugs and snails on the plot and in the garden
It is very difficult to drive a Chinese dog out of a summer cottage. For many gardeners it becomes a real scourge. Experts recommend using traditional methods of rodent control - poisons, traps, traps. However, among the many characteristics of the animal, amazing cunning occupies a special place. He may not eat poisoned food and easily avoids traps.

Tips on how to deal with earth rats in the garden. How and where they live, methods of extermination - poisons, baits, traps, repellents. Mounds of fresh earth often greet owners when they arrive at the site. It immediately becomes clear that moles were in charge here. Tree trunks eaten together in winter indicate the joy of hares in the absence of their owners.

Especially if they forgot about the precautions that should have been taken in the fall. Among the numerous rodents there are dangerous species that do not quickly reveal the secret of their presence

Only accidentally noticed, moving mounds of dry grass and last year's leaves will indicate that earth rats have appeared. And also dug-out spring beds, decorated with holes and pits.

How to deal with earth rats in the garden on the site?

Earth dogs in the garden. Rodent pest "Chinese dog"

One of the most dangerous pests for gardens and vegetable gardens is the Chinese dog. This rodent belongs to the order of mice, but in body shape and size it more closely resembles a rat. The rodent causes significant damage to all garden plantings, because, like a mole, it digs the ground, leaving huge piles of earth on the surface of the ridges.

Appearance of the rodent:

The “Chinese dog” feeds on seeds, fruits, berries, root crops, the bark of young shrubs or fruit trees, and the juicy pulp of stem shoots. In a word, if a rodent settles in the garden, it will cause enormous damage to the crop.

The “Chinese or earthen dog” is a thrifty rodent; it prepares supplies for the winter, preferring to deposit fruits, roots and plant seeds in a burrow. In the summer, the rodent sets up burrows near ponds or any other natural waters; in the winter, it moves closer to houses and country houses.

Closer to the onset of cold weather, rodent pests can often be found in barns, country houses and even greenhouses. This furry animal surprises with its maneuverability - it can climb trees, swim beautifully, run fast, dig long and deep trenches and even jump.

Chinese dog minks are dug at a depth of 15-20 cm from the surface of the earth. The animal creates tunnels, a pantry, a nesting area, and a place for hibernation underground. If there are molehills in the garden, then the “Chinese dog” will take advantage of them.

How to deal with prairie dogs in the country. Chemical methods of killing rats

The first significant drawback is that beneficial animals and pets are often poisoned. This is more often observed with dogs, since cats eat bread less often. In addition, animals die not only from poisoned food, but also from dead rats, which, before death, get out to the most visible place.

Nutrition

Each clan usually has its own, clearly defined feeding area. But sometimes the “dogs” of different colonies graze together or not far from each other by mutual agreement and agreement. The main food for these animals is grass. In addition, the characteristics of the habitat cannot provide them with much diversity.

But the animals compensate for the lack of proteins by eating numerous prairie insects. The cute fluffy animals graze in droves, and the main sign of their presence is steppe areas that have been heavily plucked and sometimes completely cleared of vegetation by voracious animals. But for the animals themselves, this is only better, because the less grass on their territory, the further the view, and therefore the higher the safety, which they care about with great zeal.

However, such rodents sometimes cause terrible harm to humans through their vital activity. They destroy pastures and thoroughly dig up the land on them, eating cultivated crops. Prairie dogs in the garden can be a real disaster .

How to deal with earth dogs in the garden. Methods for exterminating rats

Unknown Jerusalem artichoke: agricultural technology for growing earthen pears

All means are good to defeat the invasion of gardens and vegetable gardens by enemies. Among them, the following methods are considered effective:

1.Poisons

Chemicals are among the most effective means of war against earth rats

They are used carefully in early spring. If there are a huge number of rodents that have multiplied, it is advisable to call pest control specialists. Nowadays there is a wide choice of chemicals

They have different forms of impact on the rodent, leading to its death. The drug is scattered near burrows and added to baits and traps. The corpses of the rats are urgently removed. There should be no animals or children on the site. It is advisable, after such a procedure, to thoroughly rinse the entire area with a hose with water, flooding the detected passages

Nowadays there is a wide choice of chemicals. They have different forms of impact on the rodent, leading to its death. The drug is scattered near burrows and added to baits and traps. The corpses of the rats are urgently removed. There should be no animals or children on the site. It is advisable, after such a procedure, to thoroughly rinse the entire area with a hose with water, flooding the detected passages.

When using poisons, it is useful to smoke rats out of their nests. The best material for this is considered to be set fire to rabbit skin. Its smell negatively affects the mood of rats. They quickly leave their holes.

The odor of kerosene, gasoline, ammonia, turpentine, naphthalene, and Vishnevsky ointment, which is unpleasant for rats, is used as poison. Napkins moistened with these substances are placed in rat passages.

The effect of ash, which is poured next to holes, is similar to poisoning. The alkali that gets from the paws into the intestines corrodes the mucous membrane of the rat’s internal organs, which leads to its death.

2. Traps

A good option for dealing with earth rats in the garden is to set traps. Special devices for catching rats are made independently, purchased in stores, for example, convenient models New Reusable Rat Catching Mice Traps. A cylindrical trap can be easily made from sheet metal. Typically, the diameter of the device is 20 cm, its height is 50 cm. Such cylinders are installed along the edges of prepared grooves dug around the perimeter of the site. The edge of the cylinder is level with the bottom of the groove. Check the cylinders daily. Caught rats are removed.

An arched trap is placed in the found hole. Glue traps are no problem for strong earth rats. They get rid of them easily. The best trap in the war against rats is a trained cat. They keep it in areas that are places of permanent residence for people. It’s a shame to leave a cat alone with rats for a week.

3. Lures

They are usually placed in burrows and passages of rats. Most often it is made from wheat grain soaked in a pesticide, such as ethylphenacin. The mixture is prepared at the rate of 30 g of product per 1 kg of grain. They use a bait called Difa-Neo in the form of a briquette. It works effectively even in high humidity conditions. Ratron Giftweizen is used as an urgent drug.

4.Plants

A large number of plants are known to repel rats. For example, elderberry, the roots of which emit cyanide, which is harmful to the body of many rodents. Juniper and other coniferous plants that cause wounds on the paws of animals avoid them. Blackroot, which has seeds in the form of thorns. They stick tightly to the rat’s skin, creating favorable conditions for the death of the rodent, especially if it has swam. Rats quickly give an invisible signal to others. The family leaves the site. Celandine, mint, wormwood, tansy will help with how to fight earth rats in the garden and protect the site.

5.Noise

Nowadays, many models of ultrasonic and electronic repellers are offered to eliminate rodents. Each option has a radius of optimal impact. The old-fashioned recommendations for using noise in the war against earth rats are simple to implement, but no less reliable. To implement them, you need to dig thin metal posts throughout the area. Hang empty cans on them. All rats will not disappear, but will temporarily take up residence in the neighboring garden.

What does it eat?

A ground rat in a garden is a disaster for owners, because while digging holes, it destroys everything in its path. Loves to eat alfalfa, damages grains (wheat, barley), cotton and rice sprouts during the ripening period. Melons and melons, including melons and watermelons, are also not ignored.

If you come across young trees along the way, then rats in the countryside can cause their death. They gnaw seedlings at the root collar or eat away the bark, causing irreparable damage. Apple trees, bird cherry and willow trees are most often affected.

On a note!
Not only useful plants, roots and tubers are eaten by these pests. Previously, it was thought that the weed could stop water rats, but in the absence of the necessary food, they eat everything that grows on the ground.

Earth rodents hunt small field mice, mollusks, crayfish, insects and other living creatures. They feel great in water, climb trees, attack bird nests, destroy them and eat chicks. They can live in houses, barns, cellars, destroying the harvest. In pursuit of food, they gnaw through adobe walls and dig labyrinths under the floor.

Shih Tzu

The Shih Tzu is a very cute breed, with long beautiful hair, and it does not shed.

This is a companion and anti-stress dog. Gets along well with any animals and is very affectionate towards the owner. Can be fun and playful if the owner wants, but is generally a calm dog.

1 of 6

Shih Tzus are very easy to diaper train, which is convenient for owners who don't have time for frequent walks.

Shih Tzu weight according to the standard is 4-8.3 kg, height up to 27 cm. Colors are completely different, Shih Tzu come in almost all colors, and spotted (golden, white and red), black, black and tan, with masks, and with white faces, i.e. for every taste.

Genetically, this breed has no predisposition to diseases, but there are weak points: ears, eyes.

Life expectancy is 12-14 years.

Natural enemies of prairie dogs

Photo: Prairie dog

Peaceful prairie dogs are susceptible to attacks by various predators, both ground-based and feathered, carrying out air attacks. It’s not for nothing that these smart rodents chose to live in a collective environment, because it’s much easier to live this way in harsh wild conditions, where danger can lurk everywhere. Security dogs are constantly vigilant, constantly monitoring their surroundings in order to identify all kinds of threats that may come from:

badgers;
black-footed ferrets;
coyotes;
Mexican falcons;
hawks;
cave owls

A developed communication network among prairie dogs helps them not only communicate with each other, but also survive in various emergency situations. Smart dogs, with their voices and postures, not only report impending danger, but also clarify who exactly it is coming from, from which side the enemy is approaching, and how he does it. As a result of this alert, protective actions may vary depending on what kind of enemy is approaching (badger, hawk or coyote). Dogs can quickly hide, but be close to the exit from the hole, they can go deep underground, they can only move closer to the entrance to the hole.

Danger to prairie dogs can also come from creeping reptiles. There is evidence that often undigested remains of these rodents were found in the stomachs of rattlesnakes.

Sadly, the worst enemy of prairie dogs is man, who exterminated the once vast populations of these squirrels. Farmers killed a huge number of prairie dogs, which, in their opinion, ate fields intended for grazing livestock. All this led to the fact that the number of animals became many times smaller, which is very sad to realize.

Human interaction

The field dog is a herbivore that can cause irreparable damage to agriculture. They were also disliked because with their burrows they completely tear up pastures; domestic horses and cows are often injured when their feet fall into their burrows. That is why local farmers are fighting them in every possible way. This struggle has led to the fact that the population of field dogs has not only decreased significantly - the species is on the verge of extinction.

The other side of this interaction was that these rodents began to be bred as pets along with cats and dogs. People realized that these are very intelligent animals, strongly attached to humans. If you raise them from young animals, they will never even try to escape into the wild. But maintaining their home is associated with certain difficulties - they are very curious, so constant supervision is necessary for them, since due to this character trait they can easily cause harm to themselves and the environment. In addition, they are cunning thieves who love to steal the trophies they receive into their nest.

Harm to the garden

If “Chinese dogs” set up their burrows in the garden or near the garden plot, then this becomes a significant problem for the gardener. The rodent is a voracious animal and is capable of completely destroying a crop.

The pest prefers to collect root crops in gardens. It stores small potatoes, beets, carrots, and radishes for the winter; the rodent feeds on large root vegetables right in the garden. In addition to crop theft, the pest causes significant damage to plant crops by digging holes in the ground, destroying young seedlings and mature crops. On young shrubs and fruit trees, the Chinese dog chews off the bark, as a result of which the tree begins to dry out, become sick and may even die.

Rodent control must begin immediately as soon as the first signs of rodent parasitism appear. The breeding of the “Chinese dog” should not be allowed. To destroy the animal, you need to choose the most drastic measures, since only they will help preserve the integrity of the harvest.

Earth dog: what rodents look like (10 photos), lifestyle

Rodents belong to the mouse family, but in appearance they look more like rats. They dig holes in the area, throwing heaps of earth to the surface. Ground dogs feed on seeds, berries, bark of young trees and bushes, and root vegetables.

These pests are very voracious and thrifty, they will quickly destroy the supplies of other rodents and do not disdain human ones.

What does the animal look like

Earth dog.

The ground dog has a thick, smooth coat of gray, brown or black color with white or gray stripes on the back and dark brown spots throughout the body. The weight of one individual reaches 500 grams, the body length is 25 cm, and the tail is 6-13 cm.

She has a round head with wide-set eyes and small ears. Strong paws with powerful claws, designed for digging holes. The animals were given the name doggies because of the sounds they make, similar to the barking of puppies.

Reproduction

Animals do not hibernate and reproduce throughout the year. One female has from 2 to 15 babies; a month after birth they become independent; at two months they are ready for reproduction. The family consists of a male and 3-4 females with cubs.

Habitat

A family of earth dogs.

Ground dogs dig holes at a depth of 15-20 cm; they create passages, a storage room, a hibernation place and a nest for the brood underground for their family. They can use mole passages for their own purposes.

The dog makes provisions for the winter in its mink, which consist of root vegetables and seeds. In summer, it lives closer to water bodies. And as winter approaches, it moves closer to people; it can even settle in a barn or greenhouse. The earth dog runs quickly, swims, climbs trees, digs and jumps.

Shepherds in the steppes encountered these pests and put up a strong fight. Cattle in pastures and horses often fell into holes and broke their legs.

Each dog has clearly assigned responsibilities and roles. They are smart and hardworking.

Fighting methods

To combat dogs, traps and poisonous baits are used, and ultrasonic repellers are also popular.

Do ground dogs bite?

Under normal conditions, no, but in case of protection of family or threat to life, they can attack.

Do dogs get into your home?

They do not like company and are cunning enough to live in a house with people, like mice or rats.

Only damage to supplies. During a hungry winter, they can spoil or divide vegetables and grains in sheds and cellars.

Mechanical means

You can make traps yourself or purchase them in stores. They are installed at the edges of the passages and checked regularly. They are easy to use and practical.

There are crushers that kill rodents. They are simple and act like mousetraps.

Another type is live traps, which act more humanely, leaving the harmful rodent alive and unharmed.

How to use poisons and baits correctly

Poisonous baits are placed in places where animals appear or in their burrows. They are used simply and effectively, but there are a number of nuances:

corpses must be removed quickly;
food with poison on the site can be eaten by other animals;
dogs can carry bait from the site into the tunnels, which can cause poison to get into the ground;
rats are cunning and when the first corpses appear, they will stop eating poisoned food;
The animal’s body quickly gets used to it and after a few generations the animals stop accepting and reacting to poisons.

Earth rat repellers

A device with the required radius of optimal impact is installed on the site. It can be powered by a battery or batteries that need to be changed or recharged to keep the device working continuously. There are two types of repellers:

ultrasonic, which are ineffective, because animals live deep underground;
vibrational, which propagate sound vibrations in the earth.

This method has advantages and disadvantages that need to be taken into account when choosing.

Animals

There are a number of game animals that can take ground dogs. Even if you don’t catch them, you can at least drive them away, disrupting the usual way of life of the animals. This:

Advice from experienced people! Some people advise filling the minks with water. The rats, of course, don’t like this, but they are not very upset; after drying out, they return back, returning to the usual way of their organized life.

Conclusion

Ground dogs are rodents that harm crops and trees and shrubs growing on the site. They are very fertile and voracious

It is important to deal with them in time to prevent their reproduction. Control methods are available and effective, although they will require effort and patience

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Appearance

As mentioned above, the field dog is a rodent native to North America, Mexico and Canada.

Externally, the dogs resemble marmots, but are somewhat smaller - their body length reaches 40 cm and their weight reaches 1.5 kg. The animal’s front paws are “equipped” with powerful claws, thanks to which they can easily tear apart even hard ground. The back is covered with yellowish-gray hair, the belly is somewhat lighter. The paw pads are also covered with fur. They have a fluffy tail up to 11 cm long.

Country dog. Small dogs for protecting the local area: 7 proven breeds

Small breeds include dogs whose adult weight does not exceed 12 kg. It would seem, how can such a dog guard the site? Quite if she belongs to one of the breeds listed below!

Of course, she will not be able to bite seriously (although she will definitely bite), but she will always notify the owner about the entry of a stranger into the territory and, at a minimum, will perplex the unlucky robber with her rage.

Beagle

A hunting dog that does an excellent job as a guard. Average weight – 9-12 kg.

The beagle has an unusually sensitive sense of smell. He is affectionate with his owner and family, but during training he needs a strong hand, as he is quite stubborn. But this trait is very important for a guard dog: stubbornness is directly related to independence, and a guard dog must be able to make decisions without the owner’s command. The Beagle copes with this very well: he will not tolerate the presence of strangers on the site and will immediately decide to drive them out.

Dachshund

A small dog that considers itself big is therefore selflessly brave. The weight of a standard dachshund does not exceed 9 kg, a miniature (standard mini) weighs 2 times less.

The dachshund, without hesitation, grabs the thief’s leg, having first notified the owner about the entry of strangers into the area. And since the dachshund is primarily a hunting dog, rats, mice, moles, rabbits and birds on the site will also not be happy.

Miniature Pinscher

Perhaps the smallest of the dogs recommended for guarding the site. This is a wonderful watchman who treats all strangers with great distrust. And even though the pinscher weighs only 4-6 kg, the fury with which it defends the site invariably baffles robbers. Of course, a pinscher’s teeth are not capable of causing serious pain to a thief, but the owner will certainly be notified that there are strangers on the property.

American Eskimo Spitz

A bell dog whose angelic appearance hides the ability to fiercely defend its territory. If someone decides to secretly enter your area, you are unlikely to hear it, but a Spitz will definitely hear it, since its hearing is exceptional. He will immediately burst into a ringing bark!

Schipperke

Owners often call Schipperkes little devils. The weight of an adult Schipperke is about 7 kg, but do not underestimate its watchdog qualities!

Schipperke is an exceptionally sensitive, vigilant guard, very energetic and capable of biting a thief who has entered the area without hesitation. He is suspicious of all strangers, and bribing him with food will not work. Before an attack, he always barks, which allows a prudent stranger to quickly leave the area.

Schipperke works no worse than an alarm system and is very convenient for keeping in the area near the house in which the owners live permanently. This little guard does not take up much space, is friendly to the whole family, and affectionate with children. In addition, like a cat, it destroys all rats, moles and other rodents on the site.

And 2 more breeds were added to this list on the advice of readers:

Jagdterrier

As soon as a stranger lifts his leg over the fence, the Jagdterrier will grab onto it without hesitation. And it’s okay that he is small in height and weighs no more than 12 kg: the Jagdterrier has more rage and pressure than several large dogs combined.

The disadvantages are an inexhaustible hunting instinct, which can spill over into cats and poultry, as well as a stubborn disposition, which sometimes makes training very difficult.

Miniature Schnauzer

Intelligence, attentiveness, ideal endurance - this is the psychological portrait of the smallest (only 4-8 kg) dog of a service breed called a miniature schnauzer. This is a fearless and vigilant guard, ready to defend the territory, home, and owner to the end.

A cheerful disposition and agility harmoniously complement a balanced character, which makes the miniature not only an ideal guard, but also a cheerful companion for active games.

Rat poison

If the burrow of earth rats is located in a barn, the method of flooding the burrow will not work.
You can use rat poison. True, this method cannot be called safe. If cats or dogs eat one that has managed to feast on poison, then death is inevitable. And the poison itself must be hidden far away. The owners themselves should be careful and under no circumstances eat bitten vegetables. The poison may not take effect immediately, during which time the rat will have time to manage the area. In this case, the vegetables will contain poison. You can use high-power ultrasonic generators: Chiston-2, Tornado-400. To prevent rats from chewing through wires, repellers must be installed at a certain height from the floor. Rats love to live under wooden floors. You can install the device just under the floor so that the ultrasonic repeller affects the rats’ habitat.

In winter, an infestation of rodents becomes a real disaster for the garden. In a harsh winter, all fruit trees can be significantly damaged, and young plantings can be destroyed. To protect fruit trees from rodents, it is necessary to take care in advance and take all precautions.

You will need

- Bordeaux mixture;
- spray bottle;
- wood ash;
- glass wool;
- roofing felt;
- bait;
- repellers;
- mousetraps.

Instructions

After the end of the summer season, carefully rake all the fallen leaves, put them in compost pits or burn them. Spray tree trunks and skeletal branches with a solution of Bordeaux mixture. In order not to burn the trees, it will be enough to dilute the product in a ratio of 1 to 10. Rodents absolutely cannot stand the smell of Bordeaux mixture, even in the hungriest time they will bypass your area.

Wrap the tree trunks with a thin layer of glass wool and secure roofing felt on top of it. Apply a thick layer of wood ash around the trunks. As soon as the first snow falls, carefully compact it around the trunks and water it. Through the ice crust, rodents will not be able to reach the bark, which they gnaw in a circle.

To kill rodents and reduce their numbers, use special products in briquettes or bags. You can buy them at the regional office of the sanitary anti-epidemiological station or in stores that specialize in selling gardening and gardening products.

Place the bait in the country house, in, scatter around the fruit trees. To prevent bird deaths, place briquettes or bags in narrow tubes. All baits have a specific smell that attracts rodents. To prevent the briquettes from smelling like your hands, wear sterile medical gloves when laying them out.

Additionally, place electronic repellers around the entire perimeter of your summer cottage. Modern devices effectively cope with their task. All types of rodents will avoid your area. The devices can operate from an electrical network or from batteries.

Mousetraps can be used as additional tools. The disadvantage is that after a mouse or rodent gets in, you will have to remove the rodent and put the device back into working condition. If you do not visit your dacha often enough, there is no point in using mousetraps.

Various types of rodents cause great damage to fruit trees and shrubs, as well as cultivated plants in the garden. This problem arises especially acutely with the onset of cold weather, when mice, voles and rats flee from the fields closer to human habitations in order to find food for themselves.

You will need

— Spruce spruce branches, rubber hose, fine wire mesh;
— clay, cow dung, wood ash;
- rosin, ethyl alcohol;
- roofing felt, bread, vegetable oil, various poisons;
- burdock

Instructions

In winter, rodents love to eat the fresh bark of seedlings. Therefore, protecting such plantings is the main task of an amateur gardener. Before the snow falls, the trees are tied with spruce branches, and a piece of rubber hose can be put on small seedlings. It is cut lengthwise and a tree trunk is inserted into the cut. Then any odorous solution, such as tar or naphthalene, is injected there from a syringe, which will repel pests. If the seedling has side branches, then additional holes are made in the hose. You can also make special cylinders from fine wire mesh.

In the fall, you can make a cone-shaped earthen layer around young trees. Mice dig holes and passages in the snow in winter. Noticing the ground in front of them, they simply walk around it without touching the seedlings. This method of protecting plantings has been tested by time. If you still haven’t made an earthen bedding around the trees, then in winter it is necessary to trample down the snow regularly. The dense crust will not allow rodents to get to their favorite bark.

The following measures are used to combat voles. Before planting seedlings, broken brick or crushed stone is poured into the hole, which will protect the root system from being eaten by these rodents. Additionally, young trees are dipped into a clay mash mixed with cow dung and wood ash.

A method of protecting mature trees in the garden from hares has come down to our time from our ancestors. They took three parts of any lard and mixed it with one part of mola. Then the bark of trees up to 1 m high was heated and treated with a warm mixture. It was noticed that hares avoided such plantings. This method can also be used to protect against voles and mice. More modern options for coating trees to protect against rodents use a mixture of clay, mullein and creolin (100 g), as well as a mixture of crushed rosin with ethyl alcohol (1 l).

If a large number of rodent holes are found on the site, then it is necessary to use poisoned bait. They are prepared using poisons: zinc phosphide or ratsid and small pieces of bread. For 0.5 kg of bread, use 20 g of poison and 25 g of sunflower oil. Mix everything together and lay it out in the garden near the holes. It is better to place such baits in roofing felt tubes so as not to poison pets. In specialized stores you can purchase ready-made baits. But remember that any poisons must be used following all the instructions.

In addition to baits, there is a way to protect your site using common burdock. When dry, it is laid out in holes. Burdock is very effective against small mice because it is prickly and easily digs into their skin. To catch larger rodents, various traps, rat traps and traps are used.

Video on the topic

In the North American prairies lived (and seems to live) a subspecies of rodents - prairie dogs. They received this name due to the sound similar to barking, with the help of which they communicate with each other. Once upon a time, the number was much higher than what it is now. Modern farmers are fighting these rodents, which is why their numbers have decreased. By the way, it decreased, perhaps tens if not hundreds of times (such an intervention did not go unnoticed - it entailed a decrease in the number of many other inhabitants: badgers, birds of prey, etc.). Rodents are the main food for animals whose numbers have declined, in addition, countless holes served other purposes (watering, fertilizing the soil, etc.).

Prairie dog burrows are real underground cities; their area can reach hectares. Countless galleries lead to nesting chambers, which are surrounded by many false passages and holes. The population of such a town in the old days could reach tens of millions. Colonies of dogs are divided into clans, consisting of several two or three families, each with up to 1-4 females, and cubs. The family adheres only to its own possessions (a stranger - the dog is in for a clash with its owners). The boundaries of the “areas” are several tens of centimeters apart (although the area itself can be significant). Within one clan, animals coexist very amicably (that is, they are very attached to the members of this clan). Together they guard these holes, posting sentries at the entrance. The person standing at the post does not go beyond its limits (even if bait is placed). This is where the methods of dealing with them come from, evicting (or, one might say, “surviving”) these “friends” from the site.

Ultrasound method

Let's start with the newest method of rodent control; in some cases, it is one of the best in terms of effectiveness, and is absolutely safe. Moreover, it is safe not only for people, pets, but also... rodents! How can it be, is it really possible to win the age-old struggle without loss on both sides? It turns out so. Modern ultrasonic repellers do not kill, but only scare away, making their life “unbearable” (it’s all about special sound signals that the human ear cannot detect). Well, when the “dogs” get tired, sooner or later they must leave for other territories, which, in theory, will be searched at a considerable distance. That is, not at the neighbor's. This method has its drawbacks. Each such device has a certain operating range (read the instructions, this should be specified), and replacing batteries is expensive. In addition, these devices themselves can be quite expensive. Question: if a settlement of “dogs” leaves its territory, can the rodents return after a while (for example, next year)? Answer: as a rule, they leave to look for new territories far from their “home” area... So, everything is clear here. Another thing, purely theoretically, maybe they can someday.

Chemical method.

It is not surprising that some owners, despairing of lime’s tailed neighbors, turn to heavy artillery - the chemical method. The use of chemicals (that is, poisoned baits) is more targeted. Chemistry is used for deratization - that is, the destruction of rats, because these animals are more intelligent and tenacious than mice. Other common chemical methods include (in addition to poisoned bait) pollination and aeration. Poisoned baits - food or liquid - are most often used. Toxic substances are added to food or water. Experience shows that this (chemical) method is not very effective in combating precisely these representatives of the rodent family. Such methods will make it possible to destroy some of these rodents, however, new ones take the place of the dead, which forces them to wage an exhausting and endless struggle with them. The chemical method should be used only as a last resort (if it is not possible to get rid of it by other means). The use of such substances without sufficient qualification is not allowed. Other methods include: biological, and mouse traps.

Chinese dog rodent. Videos from experienced gardeners

Regular, joint war with neighbors against the invasion of these rodents helps you take advantage of your harvest, rather than feeding earth rats with environmentally friendly products.

Appearance of the rodent:

body length - 25 cm;
weight - 500 g;
tail length - 6-13 cm;
coat color - gray, brown, black, with the presence of white or light gray stripes on the back or dark brown spots located over the entire surface of the body;
The coat is smooth and thick.

Interesting Facts

prairie dogs in Russia, in particular in Siberia . There were enough messages about this on the Internet. But such facts were not confirmed during their investigation. As it turned out, other large rodents were simply confused with the “dogs,” which are found exclusively in the steppes of North America.

And in Russian territories, due to their biological characteristics, the heat-loving animals we have just described simply could not survive, even if we assume that they were brought to these regions by chance or on purpose. That's all. This could be the end of the story about small furry animals. But let’s add some facts to all of the above:

Prairie dogs are naturally endowed with very acute vision. And therefore, vigilant animals, in order to examine the surroundings, only slightly stick out the tops of their heads from the hole. This is enough for them to see everything they need;
Powerful organs of touch for our mouse-dogs are special receptors located in abundance on the surfaces of their palms and tongue;
Such rodents have 22 sharp teeth, but there are no fangs among them, but there are molars, small molars and incisors;
It has already been mentioned that “dogs” warn their relatives of danger with a characteristic bark. But besides this, these animals have a fairly developed language of communication for other cases. In particular, there are special signals that indicate the presence of an existing host in a certain area;
With the arrival of cold weather, the “dogs’” body plunges into a special state when energy consumption is extremely reduced and body temperature drops by several degrees. But in severe frosts they plunge into torpor;
Prairie dogs, as a biological genus, are divided not only into species, but also into two groups. Representatives of the first of them have a black tail end and eight nipples. And the second group includes animals whose tail is white at the end. They have ten nipples.

Often rodents, inhabitants of the American steppes, are also confused with Chinese dogs. These are also rodents, but outwardly they are completely different from them. The similarity is only in the name. Chinese dogs do not live in China at all, but are found here. They are smaller in size, look like rats and are notorious pests. They destroy crops and gnaw tree bark.

How to get rid

The biggest mistake of American landowners was an attempt to exterminate “dogs”, like ordinary rodents, with chemicals. But these are not mice, but smarter creatures. They are able to recognize baits laid out everywhere in the form of poisoned food. They avoid the placed traps and traps.

Actions to spray harmful substances from the air turned out to be even more unwise. Colonies of these animals are very numerous and are located deep underground. It is impossible to completely eradicate them in this way. At the same time, enormous damage was caused to the environment with little result. Attempts to contaminate water in the area with chemicals led to similar sad consequences.

Catching “dogs”, taking into account the size of their colony, is also useless. However, there is still a way to expel unpleasant rodents from your territory, and it is safe for nature and humans

It was the ultrasonic ones that scared them away.

The waves they emit force the “dogs” to move away from valuable land plots. And this happens with a high degree of probability and in a fairly short time. These are modern environmentally friendly means.

Reproduction of prairie dogs

Prairie dogs differ from other rodents in their extremely low fertility. The low birth rate indicates a higher level of social organization of these animals. Females give birth to offspring once a year.

Most babies are born in March-May. There are most often 5 babies in a litter. But old females can have up to 10 cubs. For about 7 weeks, the mother lives with her offspring underground, feeding them with nutritious milk.

Prairie dogs eat plants around the burrow, which gives them a better view.

In most mammals, young animals leave their parents upon reaching sexual maturity, but in prairie dogs the opposite is true - adults leave their offspring. Parents first dig new burrows on the outskirts of the colony and transfer their offspring there. This is how the cities of these animals increase in size.