Author Topic: Creature in my garden  (Read 3911 times)

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Offline Just Marian

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Creature in my garden
« on: August 29, 2011, 22:19:49 PM »
I was hoping someone could help me identify the little furry animal that invades my garden every night and digs around the lawn and under the stones/rocks looking for grubs at night. It's making a hell of a mess of the lawn.

I caught sight of it this evening and it is almost like a possum type animal. When I shone the torch on it, it panicked like mad and ran off, it was not a cat!

Maybe twice the size of a cat. It was very short legged and had a fat/broad body, light brown almost ginger. It's tail was very short, about 3 inches with ginger or white and brown stripes.

Any ideas folks? Just not sure how to get rid of it, my garden is becoming such a mess with it and my stray cats are obviously not bothered by it!

 Marian  




Offline Just Marian

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2011, 08:23:03 AM »
Sorry folks it's okay, I have just found the answer to my own question - 'Ginger Badger' I had no idea you could get such a thing, but I got a good look at it last night and it was identical to a Badger, but the colour threw me.

However, having googled 'Badgers' and found they come in ginger or reddish brown, as well as black & white, I am quite sure now this is what it was/is.


Offline Supacabby

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2011, 08:25:35 AM »
I thought it was Tony Jenkins coming home after a night on the beer at first!

Now back OT: I have a Badger that feeds in my garden, he/she is so friendly however they should never be approached, got some nasty vicious claws!

Offline tony jenkins

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2011, 09:21:36 AM »
How did you know I am Ginger (strawberry blond actually) :)

Offline Just Marian

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2011, 10:20:40 AM »
I reckon it is an ex-pat Badger - Ginger from Scotland, like me Lol!

Yes Suppacabby, they can be very aggressive, so I will keep clear!

I wouldn't ever harm it, I love wildlife, but need to deter it from my garden somehow - it's digging up my lawn - badly!

I think I may have found out how it's getting over the wall, there is a wooden step on the other side, so I'll get rid of that and see if that cures the problem.  

 





Offline Jacqui Harvey

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2011, 10:28:15 AM »
If that does not work, how about some of these garden lights that trip when someone or something passes by them?  Badgers run a mile when you open a door or put on a light.  We have quite a few around us, as we live in the countryside, but they are so shy it's not that often we see them.
We have a little house at our back door for the cat it has two steps to go up into it.  We caught a cheeky badger coming out of it one night, however as soon as our kitchen light went on it took off.   Our cat was not amused.

Offline Rindaloo

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2011, 11:11:52 AM »
Dog!  :)

Hmm, what am I saying!!  Dogs dig lawns too (when the mood takes them....).

Offline Just Marian

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #7 on: August 30, 2011, 12:17:11 PM »
Thanks Jacqui, I have moved the wooden step on the other side of the garden wall, I forgot that it was there actually, so it should do the trick. Hopefully, the Badger is far too fat to get through the wrought iron gates at the front! But yes thanks, I will try lots of ideas if this does not work.

Lynne, it's definitely not dogs doing the digging. At first I thought it may have been a fox, but I saw the 'Ginger Badger' last night and it fits the bill!

Offline Rindaloo

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #8 on: August 30, 2011, 13:02:20 PM »
LOL, sorry, I didn't mean it was a dog, I meant a dog would be a cure to the badger problem.  But the holes might then be created by the dog instead (personal experience talking).

Offline Just Marian

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Creature in my garden
« Reply #9 on: August 30, 2011, 14:36:04 PM »
Ah, I get you Lynne! Yes the presence of a dog would cure the problem - now if I could borrow a Jack Russell or something for a few nights wouldn't that be great!
 I am embarrassed to say my two Greyhounds (ex-racers) would not even give chase! They are so sweet with everything small and furry - unbelievable.
And they are very much house dogs, they rarely venture out into the garden and are scared of the dark.

Not much use then!!




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