"OhioGuy" wrote:

There is a HUGE groundhog living under my shed. I see it in the back yard
once in a while, eating my morning glories. Today I went out to check on
the kale I planted in a raised bed, and I found that every single plant had
all the leaves eaten off! (about 4 inches up) I had really been looking
forward to having kale salads this fall - hopefully the plants will recover,
but I'm not so sure.

Anyway, is there any way to ensure that this groundhog won't do it again?
I live in the city, where unfortunately, I'm not allowed to simply shoot the
darn thing.



It's extremely rare for groundhogs to take up residence in cities. And
a large hedgehog is not going to easily subsist foraging your meager
greenery, they typically make their homes where meadows meet
forests, where there's lots of easily accessible vegetation. What do
you have stored in your shed? If there is anything edible like animal
feed (ie; dog, cat, hamster, bird food) or near where you keep your
trash cans then that would explain a hedgehog hanging around your
shed. In cities especially the easiest way to dispel unwanted
critters is to remove their food supply... the only reason that
hedgehog is living in or around your shed is because
you are feeding it, albiet inadvertantly. You are responsible for
attracting/luring that hedgehog so you need to carefully relocate it
to suitable habitat... if you do anything to harm that critter then I
pray the very same happens to you and your loved ones.

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:46:09 GMT, brooklyn1
wrote:

"OhioGuy" wrote:

There is a HUGE groundhog living under my shed. I see it in the back yard
once in a while, eating my morning glories. Today I went out to check on
the kale I planted in a raised bed, and I found that every single plant had
all the leaves eaten off! (about 4 inches up) I had really been looking
forward to having kale salads this fall - hopefully the plants will recover,
but I'm not so sure.

Anyway, is there any way to ensure that this groundhog won't do it again?
I live in the city, where unfortunately, I'm not allowed to simply shoot the
darn thing.



It's extremely rare for groundhogs to take up residence in cities.

I think that depends on the city. NYC, Boston probably. I live a few
miles from downtown Nashville and I had a groundhog show up every year
for the peaches in my yard until a dog showed up in my yard and I kept
him. Gone was the groundhog, possums, rabbits and cats, although he
never killed one (I love that about my dog.) I love my dog, but miss
sharing the yard with some of the wildlife. Still lots of squirrels
and birds though.

On Wed, 30 Sep 2009 20:46:09 GMT, against all advice, something
compelled brooklyn1 , to say:

You are responsible for
attracting/luring that hedgehog so you need to carefully relocate it
to suitable habitat... if you do anything to harm that critter then I
pray the very same happens to you and your loved ones.



You know, sometimes you can be ok. And then other times, you can
be a complete and utter prick.




What's up with that?







--

Howdya like that... we started playing guitar to impress the chicks and wind
up talkin' fingernails with old men.

Ray Boyce - 9.27.09

they typically make their homes where meadows meet
forests,

Yep, that describes our place. The back of our property is up against an
edge habitat of trees, where the ground goes up for about 15 feet at perhaps
a 45 degree angle. Behind the trees is perhaps a 10 acre open grassy area -
part of a local park. However, this groundhog took up residence under my
shed, just like the several at my parents' place did under their old barn.

"OhioGuy" wrote:
brooklyn1 writes:
they typically make their homes where meadows meet
forests,

Yep, that describes our place. The back of our property is up against an
edge habitat of trees, where the ground goes up for about 15 feet at perhaps
a 45 degree angle. Behind the trees is perhaps a 10 acre open grassy area -
part of a local park. However, this groundhog took up residence under my
shed, just like the several at my parents' place did under their old barn.

With all that space it should be pretty easy to lure Woody to live
elsewhere... pile up a truckload of large rocks and build a brush pile
atop, lay in a couple three bales of hay and make a trail of
inexpensive critter food (dry dog kibbles, bird seed, chicken feed,
etc.) leading to your newly constructed woodchuck habitat. I had a
woodchuck residing under a corner of my barn until I provided a much
better home a couple hundred feet away.

Woody used to live under my barn:
http://i36.tinypic.com/34nqe0x.jpg

There's Woody by his new home in front of the brush pile, closer to
water too:
http://i38.tinypic.com/25z6rh5.jpg

There's no reason to harm wildlife, they need to live too, and they
were there first. I think those who want to live rural but insist on
living in a test tube sterile environment are morbidly ill... the same
sickos who as hate-filled children enjoyed pulling the wings off
butterflys.

http://i36.tinypic.com/id84yq.jpg

http://i36.tinypic.com/wswvp1.jpg