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This morning I looked out at the pond and noticed a small furry animal
sitting on the bottom slate of the waterfall carefully washing
itself. I was trying to get a better look and I must have startled
the animal - it slid into the pond! The pond is ice covered except
for the area at the base of the waterfall.
The animal was the size of a baby groundhog - is it a (I hate to say
it) a muskrat? And how
do I go about getting rid of it? Do they eat fish? The level of the
pond hasn't dropped yet, so
I assume there are no holes yet.
0
HELP!
Started by Guest_Bonnie NJ_*, Feb 21 2009 01:58 PM
9 replies to this topic
#2 Guest_~ jan_*
-
- Guests
Posted 21 February 2009 - 10:50 PM
On Sat, 21 Feb 2009 08:58:44 EST, Bonnie NJ <maebe43@earthlink.net> wrote:
>This morning I looked out at the pond and noticed a small furry animal
>sitting on the bottom slate of the waterfall carefully washing
>itself. I was trying to get a better look and I must have startled
>the animal - it slid into the pond! The pond is ice covered except
>for the area at the base of the waterfall.
>The animal was the size of a baby groundhog - is it a (I hate to say
>it) a muskrat? And how
>do I go about getting rid of it? Do they eat fish? The level of the
>pond hasn't dropped yet, so
>I assume there are no holes yet.
What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If it is
a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet carrier
and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond from
plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:
http://www.nhptv.org...rks/muskrat.htm
Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
>This morning I looked out at the pond and noticed a small furry animal
>sitting on the bottom slate of the waterfall carefully washing
>itself. I was trying to get a better look and I must have startled
>the animal - it slid into the pond! The pond is ice covered except
>for the area at the base of the waterfall.
>The animal was the size of a baby groundhog - is it a (I hate to say
>it) a muskrat? And how
>do I go about getting rid of it? Do they eat fish? The level of the
>pond hasn't dropped yet, so
>I assume there are no holes yet.
What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If it is
a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet carrier
and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond from
plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:
http://www.nhptv.org...rks/muskrat.htm
Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
#3 Guest_Bonnie NJ_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 February 2009 - 03:23 PM
>
> What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If it
is
> a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet carri
er
> and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond fr
om
> plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:http://www.nhptv.org/Nat
ureWorks/muskrat.htm
>
> Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
> ------------
> Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> Ponds:www.jjspond.us
There is a small river less than a mile behind our house. I thought
this time of year the animals wouldn't travel.
I didn't see the tail. The water level hasn't gone down but the pond
looks like coffee with cream, all muddy. Last week it was clear and
you could see the fish, now you can't see anything. We kept a close
watch yesterday but didn't see the animal. I think it is digging in
all the pots. Much of the ice has thawed overnight and I will
continue to watch. At this point it's all I can do.
#4 Guest_Bonnie NJ_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 February 2009 - 10:23 PM
Update: It is a muskrat. Ralph said that he thinks it has chewed
thru the liner and that is why the water is so muddy. The frozen
ground is why we haven't had water loss. He is going to the farm
store to see if they have traps. Hopefully they will tell him the
best way to catch the critter.
It looks like we may have to redo the goldfish pond this Spring. The
upper pond still has a thick layer of ice and there is no way to keep
the goldfish and orfe till then. I feel sick...
thru the liner and that is why the water is so muddy. The frozen
ground is why we haven't had water loss. He is going to the farm
store to see if they have traps. Hopefully they will tell him the
best way to catch the critter.
It looks like we may have to redo the goldfish pond this Spring. The
upper pond still has a thick layer of ice and there is no way to keep
the goldfish and orfe till then. I feel sick...
#5 Guest_~ jan_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 February 2009 - 10:23 PM
On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 10:23:31 EST, Bonnie NJ <maebe43@earthlink.net> wrote:
>I didn't see the tail. The water level hasn't gone down but the pond
>looks like coffee with cream, all muddy. Last week it was clear and
>you could see the fish, now you can't see anything. We kept a close
>watch yesterday but didn't see the animal. I think it is digging in
>all the pots. Much of the ice has thawed overnight and I will
>continue to watch. At this point it's all I can do.
Yup, I agree that it is the reason for the muddy water. Dang! Any
possibility that you could do a flow thru water change to clear the water
and get the critter out? It has got to be stressing the fish something
awful, but maybe they can hide well enough in muddy water?
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
>I didn't see the tail. The water level hasn't gone down but the pond
>looks like coffee with cream, all muddy. Last week it was clear and
>you could see the fish, now you can't see anything. We kept a close
>watch yesterday but didn't see the animal. I think it is digging in
>all the pots. Much of the ice has thawed overnight and I will
>continue to watch. At this point it's all I can do.
Yup, I agree that it is the reason for the muddy water. Dang! Any
possibility that you could do a flow thru water change to clear the water
and get the critter out? It has got to be stressing the fish something
awful, but maybe they can hide well enough in muddy water?
~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
#6 Guest_Bonnie NJ_*
-
- Guests
Posted 22 February 2009 - 10:24 PM
On Feb 22, 10:23 am, Bonnie NJ <maeb...@earthlink.net> wrote:
> > What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If i
t
> is
> > a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet car
ri
> er
> > and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond
fr
> om
> > plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:http://www.nhptv.org/N
at
>
> ureWorks/muskrat.htm
>
>
>
> > Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
> > ------------
> > Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> > Ponds:www.jjspond.us
>
> There is a small river less than a mile behind our house. I thought
> this time of year the animals wouldn't travel.
>
> I didn't see the tail. The water level hasn't gone down but the pond
> looks like coffee with cream, all muddy. Last week it was clear and
> you could see the fish, now you can't see anything. We kept a close
> watch yesterday but didn't see the animal. I think it is digging in
> all the pots. Much of the ice has thawed overnight and I will
> continue to watch. At this point it's all I can do.
Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
in the liner and
that is why the water is so muddy. He bought a trap and it is set and
baited with
veggies.
The ground is frozen and most likely that is why the pond's water
level hasn't dropped.
I guess we'll be doing the pond over in the Spring. Hopefully the
hole is not too deep
and the water level will be high enough for the fish to survive.
> > What did the tail look like? Muskrat's have smooth hairless tails. If i
t
> is
> > a little one I'd fish it out with a net, if possible, dump in a pet car
ri
> er
> > and off to the river we would go. They eat almost anything in the pond
fr
> om
> > plants to fish. Here's a good website w/pictures:http://www.nhptv.org/N
at
>
> ureWorks/muskrat.htm
>
>
>
> > Are you close to a body of water or canal? ~ jan
> > ------------
> > Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> > Ponds:www.jjspond.us
>
> There is a small river less than a mile behind our house. I thought
> this time of year the animals wouldn't travel.
>
> I didn't see the tail. The water level hasn't gone down but the pond
> looks like coffee with cream, all muddy. Last week it was clear and
> you could see the fish, now you can't see anything. We kept a close
> watch yesterday but didn't see the animal. I think it is digging in
> all the pots. Much of the ice has thawed overnight and I will
> continue to watch. At this point it's all I can do.
Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
in the liner and
that is why the water is so muddy. He bought a trap and it is set and
baited with
veggies.
The ground is frozen and most likely that is why the pond's water
level hasn't dropped.
I guess we'll be doing the pond over in the Spring. Hopefully the
hole is not too deep
and the water level will be high enough for the fish to survive.
#7 Guest_Jim and Phyllis_*
-
- Guests
Posted 23 February 2009 - 04:36 AM
Have you any traps or an air rifle?
Jim
Jim
#8 Guest_~ jan_*
-
- Guests
Posted 23 February 2009 - 12:22 PM
On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:24:09 EST, Bonnie NJ <maebe43@earthlink.net> wrote:
>Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
>in the liner and that is why the water is so muddy.
I'm thinking (just remembering something from some other time) that 12-18"
is their prime entry/exit point. Just seems though it would have made a
hole up and out of the pond, if it did go thru the liner, thus you would
lose water? I'm hoping it is from digging in the plants, since your water
was clear not all that long ago, it has been digging and eating the plant
roots. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
>Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
>in the liner and that is why the water is so muddy.
I'm thinking (just remembering something from some other time) that 12-18"
is their prime entry/exit point. Just seems though it would have made a
hole up and out of the pond, if it did go thru the liner, thus you would
lose water? I'm hoping it is from digging in the plants, since your water
was clear not all that long ago, it has been digging and eating the plant
roots. ~ jan
------------
Zone 7a, SE Washington State
Ponds: www.jjspond.us
#9 Guest_Bonnie NJ_*
-
- Guests
Posted 24 February 2009 - 03:54 AM
On Feb 22, 11:36 pm, Jim and Phyllis <jimandphylli...@gmail.com>
wrote:
> Have you any traps or an air rifle?
>
> Jim
Hi Jim,
We set a "have a heart" trap and baited it with apple and carrot. No
luck so far. I think the animal is happily munching on the water
celery and lily tubers. I've only gotten quick glimpses of the
critter always in the water and under the ice. If it is coming out of
the pond it's only in the dark.
Bonnie
NJ
wrote:
> Have you any traps or an air rifle?
>
> Jim
Hi Jim,
We set a "have a heart" trap and baited it with apple and carrot. No
luck so far. I think the animal is happily munching on the water
celery and lily tubers. I've only gotten quick glimpses of the
critter always in the water and under the ice. If it is coming out of
the pond it's only in the dark.
Bonnie
NJ
#10 Guest_Bonnie NJ_*
-
- Guests
Posted 24 February 2009 - 03:55 AM
On Feb 23, 7:22 am, ~ jan <Seewebs...@jjspond.us> wrote:
> On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:24:09 EST, Bonnie NJ <maeb...@earthlink.net> wrote
:
> >Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
> >in the liner and that is why the water is so muddy.
>
> I'm thinking (just remembering something from some other time) that 12-18
"
> is their prime entry/exit point. Just seems though it would have made a
> hole up and out of the pond, if it did go thru the liner, thus you would
> lose water? I'm hoping it is from digging in the plants, since your water
> was clear not all that long ago, it has been digging and eating the plant
> roots. ~ jan
> ------------
> Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> Ponds:www.jjspond.us
The pond is ice covered once again. We know the area he is digging
but we
won't be able to make repairs or changes until the ice is gone and we
can
hopefully move the fish. From what I've read, they often have more
than one
entry and exit holes.
Bonnie
NJ
> On Sun, 22 Feb 2009 17:24:09 EST, Bonnie NJ <maeb...@earthlink.net> wrote
:
> >Update: It's a muskrat. Ralph said that the critter has dug a hole
> >in the liner and that is why the water is so muddy.
>
> I'm thinking (just remembering something from some other time) that 12-18
"
> is their prime entry/exit point. Just seems though it would have made a
> hole up and out of the pond, if it did go thru the liner, thus you would
> lose water? I'm hoping it is from digging in the plants, since your water
> was clear not all that long ago, it has been digging and eating the plant
> roots. ~ jan
> ------------
> Zone 7a, SE Washington State
> Ponds:www.jjspond.us
The pond is ice covered once again. We know the area he is digging
but we
won't be able to make repairs or changes until the ice is gone and we
can
hopefully move the fish. From what I've read, they often have more
than one
entry and exit holes.
Bonnie
NJ
