Local Wildlife Eating My Fleece!

[Tewdric]

Some mouse like creature, and I really hope it was mouse sized; has had a good nibble/shred at one of my large cage liners.

Having moved house I finally have a shed in the garden. I'd folded up my spare cage liners from my old set up last winter and left them tidily in a box on a shelf in the shed thinking they'd be of no interest to anyone, and not needed until the cold weather set in.

I got one out last night to use as extra insulation for the front of my new double hutch only to find a large hole in the fleece and inner towel layer. There were no droppings or other evidence of any other visitors in the fleece, just several large holes. I'm just glad it's only one that has been ruined, the others are either in the wash or being used in a run so that my pigs can safely have floor time in the shed.

Any ideas about how I can evict unwelcome visitors from the shed? My hay is in large plastic hay sacks. The pig food is stored in a plastic cereal container and I'm careful to re-seal this. I know there's not much that can be done about mice getting in - but I'd hate it if there was a rat on the scene.

 

[Dorothy&Coco]

Could it be moths?

 

[Sue G]

Could it be moths?

I was going to say the same thing - the moths are really bad this year.

 

[MrsMoo]

Could it be moths?

I was thinking moths too, had a moth problem in my house when we first moved in as lots of built in wardrobes and plenty of places for them to hide. Surprising the damage they can do.

 

[Tewdric]

Now that's something I hadn't thought of; especially as the holes are in the middle bit of where the fleece was folded. The one hole is pretty large - I'm talking nearly fist sized in the fleece slightly smaller in the towel layer. Could they chew that much in nearly three months?

 

[piggieminder]

I think moths only go for wool, I could be wrong there though! Strange there's no droppings. I had a mouse get in my laundry basket once, chewed a large hole in every article of clothing in it and left loads of calling cards. Spiders chew holes in fabric too but they are small and again you would have droppings. Other than block up any small gaps (surprising how small a hole mice get through) and keeping all food well contained as you are the onlly other thing I can think of is to set a humane mouse trap and see if you catch one. At least then you would know what you are dealing with.

 

[Flutterby]

Could be moth or some other critter. Did you say they were in a box? Did it have a lid on? Any signs of chewing on the box?

 

[Tewdric]

I know we have various types of mice in the garden/hedgerow. I've also seen a shrew scamper away down our garden bank. We are very rural!

Could be moth or some other critter. Did you say they were in a box? Did it have a lid on? Any signs of chewing on the box?

They were folded up in a wooden box we found in the shed when we moved in. Sort of like a window box. It doesn't have a lid!

All the pig food, and waste are stored in two separate storage boxes with click lock lids; so apart from any food in the hutch (which doesn't last long) there isn't really anything for foraging rodents to eat.

It is the one thing I miss about living on the estate - no cats out here! There were so many cats in the estate we previously lived in that few rodents would show their whiskers and survive. I had to be really, really careful whilst getting my pigs in and out of their very secure garden run.