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Possible rat problem?

On of my clients reported having five holes (about the size of a golf ball) appearing about one foot away from his hedge and spaced out about every two to three foot.They certainly appear to be made from the ground up. Unfortunately he filled these in but said that he poked down a hose pipe and it was fairly deep and there was very little to no soil left around / near the holes.Another one appeared the following day but this time it clearly looked like it was made from the lawn but only going down about three inches and was about two foot away from the hedge. The hole was cleanly made and nothing like the damage a badger, fox, or bird would made.Should add that there wasn't any visable signs of pest droppings etc. All very clean and neat and tidy!Not being an expert of pests other than in the lawn I am at a bit of a loss. My gut feeling was rats and when I told him the blood drained from his face and he ran indoors!Any likely suggests as to what it could be? He will call in the pest control company if anymore appear but I would like to make sure that it’s not something I have missed and should of known about!

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  • Thanks Paul.

    I did think moles at first but this particular area doesn't have a mole problem and I know the lawns either side of the propery and they don't have anything similar.

    I have seen in the pass that the young moles make a run from the hedges to start digging their holes but as I said the area just don't have any moles.
  • Hi Graeme,

    I agree with Paul, unfortunately at my last house in a rural location, through my regular meetings with the councils pest control chap I became a reluctant expert in rats and their hole are much bigger than you describe.

    Where there are rats there will generally be a food source nearby - a pond, fields with crops, etc.

    Best,
    Steven
  • Whatever caused it might of moved on as there has been no more activty for the last week. Will continue to monitor and call in the experts if they reappear.
  • Having just signed up here I've been having a read back through soem of the old treads...I may be a little late on this one but thought the answer could come in useful to anyone in the future.

    The culprits responsible for the holes are bank voles. Quite a common little mammal. They sometimes take over old mole runs but are quite adept at digging their own shallow burrow systems. They make almost perfectly round holes about the size of a golf ball. Rats will make burrow entarnces about the size of a cricket ball.

    Voles are fairly harmless if only a few are in residence and will only live for a season, most genrally perish during the winter months.

    They are quite easy to catch with standard break back traps set either side of the burrow entrances and covered by a narrow tunnel.
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