# Varmint digging under my garage **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 7, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736 "2015-12-07T20:48:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/1 "2015-12-07T20:48:15Z")
I have something digging under my garage. I’m guessing a rabbit although it could certainly be a skunk or maybe even a rat. I’d like to think it’s not either of those; I don’t smell skunk in the backyard and it’s bigger than what I think a rat would dig. The area has some raised stone work and a rabbit dug under there last winter and left his poop all over the garden. We now also have a dog that I let loose in the backyard that wants to go after any critters it comes near so I would like to assume that it would chase away anything hanging out back there. I did cover the hole back up once but the animal just dig it out again. I didn’t think that would work but you gotta start somewhere. I’ve read several different things to try: moth balls, wire fencing, fox urine, and three sticks. I was thinking of sweeping up the dog hair in the house and putting that in the hole. I don’t want to use fox urine or moth balls if it’s going to affect my dog. My mom suggested peeing in the hole so I may do that too. 😉 Any other suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/2 "2015-12-07T21:42:34Z")
Groundhog? Live trap and release is probably your best bet. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/3 "2015-12-07T21:57:13Z")
A groundhog was what burrowed under my shed for awhile. I used to harass it by letting the lawn mower run on the shed floor to create undesirable vibrations (not sure if that was what got it to eventually move out). ---
**Author:** ![leftfield6](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leftfield6/32/18780_2.png) [@leftfield6](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/leftfield6)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/4 "2015-12-07T22:02:46Z")
[quote=“Intergalactic\_Gladiator, post:1, topic:739736”] My mom suggested peeing in the hole so I may do that too. 😉 QUOTE] While this gives you a kinda good (yet evil) feeling, it has no effect. I have wizzed into numerous chipmunk holes to absolutely no effect. ---
**Author:** ![WF\_Tomba](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d9b06d/32.png) [@WF\_Tomba](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WF_Tomba)\ **Post date:** [December 7, 2015, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/5 "2015-12-07T22:16:21Z")
If it’s a big, deep hole, I would worry about groundhogs. They can dig tunnels up to seven feet deep, I hear. Very destructive. My house suffered serious structural damage from groundhogs tunneling under it. They can be trapped; supposedly they like cantaloupe. But if you trap now, you might not catch anything until spring, because they hibernate in the winter. ---
**Author:** ![usedtobe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ec9cab/32.png) [@usedtobe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/usedtobe)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 4:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/6 "2015-12-08T04:25:01Z")
If it’s hibernating in its burrow, and the ground gets cold enough: Use a hose to flood the burrow? Even if it doesn’t freeze all the way down (their chamber will be below frost line), a large plug or the resultant liquid water would slow them down? ---
**Author:** ![Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/intergalactic_gladiator/32/112_2.png) [@Intergalactic\_Gladiator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Intergalactic_Gladiator)\ **Post date:** [December 8, 2015, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/varmint-digging-under-my-garage/739736/7 "2015-12-08T15:37:36Z")
After looking at the hole this morning I think this varmint is a rat, which makes me less inclined to avoid killing it. It had a crust of bread shoved up against the hole when I looked which makes me wonder what else would be such an a-hole about its food. Rat traps may be the answer but I’d have to lay them out in a way so my dog won’t get to them.