Is it a rat......?

[allotment_chick]

I don't like mysteries - so who else to turn to but you good peeps!

Here is the puzzle. I live in a bijou Victorian terrace with though foundations.   The soil in my front garden goes right up to the house.  There is a path that runs down one side leading to the front door.  The edge of the path is 'mulched' with small cobbles.  A few evening back, I heard a chinking noise that sounded like the pebbles being moved.  I got up and investigated, but no sign of anything and the noise stopped.

In the morning, however, there was a small tunnel about 2 inches across  that went under the path where it joins the house.  No 'spoil heap' on the top of the soil.  I plugged it with a very big cobble.  The same thing has happened every night since and each morning there is a new tunnel to be blocked up!

Any ideas about what it might be?  Looks too big for mice to be doing it .... and I can't find any other clues that might help!  

AC x

[Mrs Ava]

ooeerr...

I guess it could be a rat, mole, vole, shrew.....okay...pulling at straws here....get yer night vision gogs on and sit up spying  

[teresa]

Oh AC
Sounds like a rat and its the time of year when they are in their nests for the winter period.
I had them years ago under our garage and the tunnels were into our garden another into the greenhouse and two other tunnels into both neighbroughs garden.
Their nest may be in your neighbroughs garden and one of the tunnels is comming up in yours.
Our neighbrough here said rats would tunnel from his neighbroughs garden on the right under his and come out in ours ahhhhh but that was 25 years ago the woman who lived here would put cooked food on to the compost heap.
He put it down to having dogs thats why the rats would not come up in his garden.
Jeyes Fluid or pee down the holes that might make them choose a different place to surface.
I was told that rats have winter and summer houses so they will be moving out when the better weather comes. But will be back next winter? this came from the rat man who I was on first name terms.
Now hasent that cheered you up AC.

[allotment_chick]

Eugh!  Thanks EJ and Teresa - it gives me the willies    but I'd rather know what it was!  In this built up area it has to be rats ... traps it is then.....

Shiver!  It's up there with the spider I found last week!

[teresa]

Hi AC
You can either contact the council pest officer or go to B+Q and buy the powder to kill them pour some down the hole and cover it.
This way they eat it go to sleep and die seen one so know it works. Traps are ? might catch something else?
You know mine tunneled into the greenhouse to be able to play and as the greenhouse warmed up from the sun the heat would travel down the tunnel to the nest, So I was providing central heating for them.
They are very cleaver animals.
Ask your neighbroughs and find the nest and attack them from there. They will have many tunnels.
Let us know how you get on. Good luck

[allotment_chick]

Good call, Teresa - husband concurs on the trap front, so off to get the bait tomorrow.   Will cover as you say to prevent others going after it!
AC x
 

[teresa]

Hi AC
Quick word of warning when I put mine in the greenhouse a couple of days later went in to gh and there sat a rat on top of one plant looked asleep. Ran for hubby( me very brave) he come with a 6ft bamboo stick poked it and yep dead.
They do curl up and look asleep.
But the satifaction was great