lawn being dug up every night!

Please can anyone give me some advice as every morning, my new lawn is being dug up by something..the holes range from small to large, and the earth is being dug out, and the grass ripped out..even the gravel down the path is being dug up. At first my dog was blamed but it is happening whils we all sleep - save me from staying up all night on lookout please!!!

 

Could be Rabbits

Sue

 

Thank-you Sue!

Someone else suggested that to me....do you have any reccomendations as to what I could do to prevent this?

 

I was going to suggest 'Moles', but their holes are neat, the earth appears from below(obviously) and gathered up over the surface, you wouldn't even see ripped out grass. Maybe squirrels, or some nocturnal creature.
Unless, it is heard of cats to dig?! Whatever next, dogs meowing?

 

hmmmm...looks like I will have to get the night vision goggles on..

 

Could be rats ? I have them making runs in all my Bantam runs... last 2 years...now moved most of Bantams in other areas and put poison and traps down... found a huge rat dead this morning....

Ladybird

 

Moles make just hills, as Greefingers said, they are neat and not messy like Rats and they killed 8 of my young Bantam chicks this Summer.. can't see in high grass, but get them now..

Ladybird

 

would rats dig up grass & gravel? I've had a dead rat outside my house, and in the back over the last few months actually...

 

If it does turn out to be rabbits, one thing you can do is peg squares of chicken wire over the affected areas. Rabbits generally prefer to dig in an area that is already disturbed, meaning that once they've taken a liking to your lawn, they will probably keep coming back to the same areas.

They don't seem to like the feel of chicken wire against their claws, so it might help a bit. I don't know if it would work for rats, but it's a cheap thing to try.

The other possibility is badgers...

 

thank-you Will, I will get some chicken wire, as it is the same parts of my lawn that are dug every night, and I patch it up, and it is dug up again!! I'll let you all know how I get on!!

THANK-YOU!

 

Will, if you put wire down, they just tunnel under and along, till tey can get where they want...I have even put concrete 6" along buildings and they just come out after concrete, nasty devils lol...

Ladybird

 

There's nothing like a determined rabbit

I'd say it depends on whether they are just scratching for food or trying to dig a burrow - if they are trying to burrow then yes, they can be persistent, but you can certainly help dissuade them with chicken wire.

I've built a lot of golf greens in the past which are obviously susceptible to rabbit damage. We've tried screening off the entire perimeter with a 2 foot fence of chicken wire, which they get under or over with ease, but pegging squares over the affected areas has usually slowly decreased the problem.

I've also found that once you have an established sward, the rabbits tend to lose interest.

 

What about a Badger, they will and can pull your garden to pieces. They are becoming a real problem in many areas and they certainly are able to dig small, medium and large holes, night after night after night.I think Will is the one on the right track. A determined Badger will pull the netting aside and carry on digging.A flask of tea and patience will bring its reward because you will need to see what your problem is before you are able to deal with it.Best wishes, Gerald.

 

A neighbours dog?

 

I had all the heads eaten off my marigolds one
year. A gardener friend told me it could be rabbits and to soak teabags in jeyes fluid and scatter in between plants. I did this and not only did the flowers on my marigolds thrive the three cats belonging to my nieghbour stopped using my front garden as their toilet.