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MichaelEL

Jul 17, 2009, 6:39 AM

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Tejones and other cute pests

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Those of us living in the jungle have challenges with pests (tho, yes, I recognize that they were here first and probably think we are the real pests!) The first step of course, is access restriction and food control, leave nothing out or available and clean up all edible scraps. The easiest solution for mammal critters is dogs for the larger and cats for the smaller. But with guests who think tejones are cute and the unfairness to pets from part time owners, stronger measures are needed.

There are quite a few electronic devices available for animal control that have motion detectors which activate rotary high-pressure water jets, floodlights, noise -like barking dogs-or high-pitch squeals that only animals (some, like dogs, maybe tejones) can hear, or a mix of the above.

Water jets might just attract more tejones and they are probably clever enough to adapt to lights or recordings. The best might be the high-pitched sounds that ...might.....be uncomfortable to their ears. It might take industrial-sized devices, not cheaper gadgets from Target or Walmart. There are bark-control devices for dogs that will even work on neighbors dogs from a distance; sensors pick up the barking and the system emits a loud squeal that only dogs can hear; it might work on Mexican raccoons; it calls for some experimentation.

There are devices to prevent birds from landing, like mats of short vertical wires that could be wrapped around a vertical wall or used to create a perimeter of of 6" or so, (thinking about your guest casita palapa deck). I expect that coatamundi, like raccoons, have sensitive feet. Ultimate solutions might be to capture them all and fit them with electronic fence collars, then install a underground electric control wire! Or maybe electrically charged chicken wire around the property. The favorite of animal control experts in the US, since animal lovers object to poisons or guns, is trapping and relocation. We have used Havaheart traps to relocate pesky and persistent chipmunks and unwelcome rattlesnakes.

I understand the argument that critters, loved and not, are part and parcel of jungle-living, and we like having wildlife around, but in their natural habitat, not in our house.

We will be building in the jungle in a year or two and I'm amassing a long list of ways to deal with mosquitos and flying critters, scorpions, tejones, boa constrictors, rodents, spiders, and more. The best solutions, it seems to me, start with architectural and landscaping preventative measures.

I'm eager to collect ideas that others may have used successfully. If you have ideas, proven or speculative, please share.

Michael