wombat deterrant
Posted by: June
15th Jun 2011 08:35pm
Can anyone suggest a way to stop wombats using steps and paths around our house for their toilet. It is most unpleasant to have to clean up big piles of wombat poo so I can take my washing to the line etc. It becomes an awful chore as it happens so often. I would appreciate any humane suggestions.
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Comments 13
Tylerrr23
Get a small unharmful trap and release them into the wild
Ellie
Hello. I don't mind wombats leaving little bombs around our weekender, which is lucky as there are no fences at all there.
One neighbour has a very low voltage electric fence around his buildings to stop the wombats going underneath. It's only switched on a few days each week when he is there, as we have no mains power there. It seems to work and I have been assured that it is not harmful. Not 100% sure of my trust levels of this story, but it might be worth looking at.
Blossom
From memory wombats burrow so they are probably getting under your fences. Maybe if you or somebody can help to to dig a deep trench along your fence and put sheets of metal in it before backfilling. I don't know if there is an appropriate Govt. Dept. that could give you some advice or re-locate them for you (hopefully relocate them a good distance away), They should supply you with trap-cages so they are caught for them to collect. This is also a problem you have to cope with if you have pets - you don't want them trapped - or children. Good luck solving the prodlem. Sounds like you livie in an outer metro or country area.
chookybo
I'll keep my fingers crossed for you.
chookybo
Hi June, I wonder whether wombats have a midden like the rhionoceros in Africa have? Rhinos have one place where they have their dunghill and go back to that place all the time. If this is so, maybe you might be able to persuade them to have their midden elsewhere. It's just a thought and I'm not sure how you would be able to move a midden once it is set up. Maybe the wild-life people would be able to help you with advice.
June
Hi chookybo, I might give the Wildlife people a try. I suspect they might just say we have to put up with it but you never know. As far as the midden, I suppose that it's more or less the same thing because the wombats keep to the regular places for their toilet but they just dig up the ground at random Thanks for the advice, will post an update if I have any luck
chookybo
Just another thought. Is it possible to put a fence around any of the area you want to protect from the wombats? We can't put a possum proof fence around our house as it would make it too difficult, nor can we fence the porch off.
June
Thanks for the suggestion chookybo, but unfortunately it would cost too much to fence as we have a one and a half acre block, also like you, we can't very well fence off our Front Path and Laundry steps at the back of our house, which is where most of the Wombat's excrement is deposited.
Oh well!!! I am most grateful for your concern but I guess I'll just have to be philosophical about it and learn to put up with it.
chookybo
Hi June, We have put a galvanised fence around the garden and that stops the possums because they can't climb over it but do have to make sure they cannot dig under the fence. Also, the lemon tree has a mesh cage over it - and I mean over - as the possums climb up the mesh and will eat not only the lemon leaves but the fruit. I feel for you with your frustration with the wombats as we are very frustrated with the possums and their mess. We have verandah posts around our house and at the top of each have had to put a slippery metal piece about half a metre high around the post. This stops the possums getting on the roof, as you can imagine the mess they would make. At least the wombats can't climb posts and lemon trees!
chookybo
Hi June, I also have a problems with animals using the porch for a toilet but it is possums. Unfortunately, I have not found any way to stop them. Nor can I find a way to persuade them to not climb up the wooden door frame. We have put slippery metal part way up so they can only get that far but it still makes a mess.
June
Thankyou anyway chookybo, we seem to have completely lost the battle with the wombats, we have done all sorts of things to deter them but they seem to be very stubborn. We have put rolled up metal fencing wire there overnight which we have to remove again every morning and they just leave their droppings on top of it. What makes me even more mad is that we've lived here 30 years before the wombats decided to take up residence nearby and never had this problem so I don't feel we have encroached on their turf. It may sound to some that I am making a big thing out of this but it's so frustrating to think I have to do this almost every day. Hope I hear that you have better luck with your possums.
CafeStudy12345
Sadly, Wombats are much like possums. Very territorial and if one goes, another quickly comes in it's place. Other than attempting to have the offending critter relocated there isn't much you can do. Good luck!
June
Thanks Karina, It seems we just have to put up with it then. I must admit it becomes very annoying at times. They are making a terrible mess of our yard by digging and scratching everywhere too. We have lived here for 34 years and this has only been happening for the last 2 years or so. I have a feeling there is more than i offending critter.