Moles chewing their way into garage

[Donald]

So I though mice had chewed my garage door bottom seal. Then chewed the towel and then rags I stuffed where the seal had been chewed. However today I caught one in a mouse trap near the chewed bottom seal and it was not a mouse but a mole. I did not think moles tried to come in houses. Looked like a mouse with a very pointed nose.

 

[Vibe_2007]

What you describe is most likely a shrew. I had them in my garage one winter. Beware of shrews as they are not timid when cornered and can attack. They have a nasty bite and transmit diseases from it.

 

[Dave9]

Show us a pic of what you're talking about. Moles very rarely come above ground. It's not unheard of but they need a very good reason and winter is not it. They stay in deep burrows in winter and source all food underground, usually grubs and worms and such.

They have digger feet quite unlike a mouse, see pictures linked below. I too would guess it's a shrew, or a vole if it didn't have a pointy noise.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mole+animal&num=40&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch

https://www.jcehrlich.com/other-wildlife/differences-between-moles-voles-shrews/

 

[Donald]

Ok. I think you are right a shrew.

Trap in mouse snap trap with tuna?

Rat glue trap. Only have found one in garage? Are they likey to enter and leave garage daily?

How many am I dealing with?

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Dave9
Show us a pic of what you're talking about. Moles very rarely come above ground. It's not unheard of but they need a very good reason and winter is not it. They stay in deep burrows in winter and source all food underground, usually grubs and worms and such.

They have digger feet quite unlike a mouse, see pictures linked below. I too would guess it's a shrew, or a vole if it didn't have a pointy noise.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mole+animal&num=40&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch

https://www.jcehrlich.com/other-wildlife/differences-between-moles-voles-shrews/


I flushed it dead down the toilet. Will get a picture of the next one.

 

[Donald]

Originally Posted by Dave9
Show us a pic of what you're talking about. Moles very rarely come above ground. It's not unheard of but they need a very good reason and winter is not it. They stay in deep burrows in winter and source all food underground, usually grubs and worms and such.

They have digger feet quite unlike a mouse, see pictures linked below. I too would guess it's a shrew, or a vole if it didn't have a pointy noise.

https://www.google.com/search?q=mole+animal&num=40&newwindow=1&source=lnms&tbm=isch

https://www.jcehrlich.com/other-wildlife/differences-between-moles-voles-shrews/


I flushed it dead down the toilet. Will get a picture of the next one.

 

[doitmyself]

My opinion: In general, shrews are not too troublesome to humans. In most circles that know about wildlife biology, shrews are generally considered good because their main diet are insects and other things we detest (sometimes mice and other pests). Usually they do not build up big populations like other rodents because they are very territorial. I've caught 30 (the truth) deer mice in my workplace shop this winter (keep moving in from outdoors after the first wave). I've only caught one shrew this winter and I always sigh when it happens, because I believe they do more good than harm.

Think of shrews as one should think of bats. Most of the time they don't pester you and they do a ton of good by devouring a LOT of insects.

This is a pretty good account of them: http://icwdm.org/handbook/mammals/shrews.asp

 

[Vibe_2007]

Originally Posted by doitmyself
My opinion: In general, shrews are not too troublesome to humans. In most circles that know about wildlife biology, shrews are generally considered good because their main diet are insects and other things we detest (sometimes mice and other pests). Usually they do not build up big populations like other rodents because they are very territorial. I've caught 30 (the truth) deer mice in my workplace shop this winter (keep moving in from outdoors after the first wave). I've only caught one shrew this winter and I always sigh when it happens, because I believe they do more good than harm.

Think of shrews as one should think of bats. Most of the time they don't pester you and they do a ton of good by devouring a LOT of insects.

This is a pretty good account of them: http://icwdm.org/handbook/mammals/shrews.asp


Good read. Thanks for the link! When I first saw one, I mistakenly called it a mole like the OP. They are pretty weird looking.

 

[Donald]

What about leaving my cat in the garage for a day or so?

 

[Donald]

So they chew enough of the garage door bottom seal that there is a large space for cold air to get in. Currently heating the garage via electric heater for my dog (boy do I love this dog).

When it was -15F it was difficult to keep the garage at temp.

 

[dlundblad]

Do you store any dog food or bird seed in the garage?

A cat for a few days would sure help, but look into getting rid of what might be attracting them. You are probably dealing with several if I had to imagine.

 

[Donald]

The dog food and bird seed bags are in a metal garbage can and have been for years. The dog does not always finish his food 100% so there can be a few pieces of kibble left. I will bring his unfinished food inside.

From my reading it says shrews are solitary by nature.

 

[Donald]

No critters in traps overnight. One trap with tuna, rest with peanut butter.

 

[MasterSolenoid]

Shrews.
It could be worse, a lot worse.

Killer Shrews
A 1959 classic
Schrew problem starts at 1 hr, 3 min
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vwbf-WJZWWs

 

[andyd]

Originally Posted by Donald
What about leaving my cat in the garage for a day or so?
Depends on the cat. One day, I walked into the kitchen. Fred the cat had a dinner guest. Right beside him, eating from the same bowl, was a little shrew. Smaller than a deer mouse with a pointy nose. Haven't seen one in ages.

PS, can you stuff the holes with steel wool?

 

[Touring5]

Very possible the OP was very close on his inital theory. It could be a shrew OR it could be a vole. That said, the pointy nose and behavior points to shrew.

Voles versus shrews...

 

[Donald]

Looking at pictures and figuring the pointed snoot, it must be a shrew.

The articles say they are solitude. So unsure how many more I should expect besides the one I caught.

 

[Donald]

So have not caught any rodents in the traps recently and the towel I stuffed where the garage door bottom seal was chewed away has itself not been chewed. But the whole towel seems to have been pushed away about 2" from where I had stuffed it under the door. And a bag of bird seed I accidentally left in the garage had a hole in it and seed on the floor. Not sure a mouse or shrew could pull the towel away, thinking squirrel or chipmunk.

Going to try the larger Havahart trap I use in attic to catch flying squirrels in garage.

 

[researcher]

Originally Posted by Donald
So have not caught any rodents in the traps recently and the towel I stuffed where the garage door bottom seal was chewed away has itself not been chewed. But the whole towel seems to have been pushed away about 2" from where I had stuffed it under the door. And a bag of bird seed I accidentally left in the garage had a hole in it and seed on the floor. Not sure a mouse or shrew could pull the towel away, thinking squirrel or chipmunk.

Going to try the larger Havahart trap I use in attic to catch flying squirrels in garage.



try peppermint oil on cotton balls. My relative lives out in the country and they were having issues with rodents of all kinds. Putting peppermint oil on cotton balls has stopped any rodents from trying to get in the garage! That stuff is STRONG! they cannot stand the smell. Try that and see what happens.