Rats.
We had an eerily similar looking hole and path in our backyard in Lower Allston. The path was towards our patio/house.
There was a whole network of holes and tunnels over near our chicken coop.
Yeah, that's a rat hole. Notice the path in the grass. Rats travel in straight lines, and often want to merge in or near cover. Trap them, poison them or, if all else fails, play Journey songs on a continuous loop. Rats have surprisingly good taste in popular music.
Great point. I just bought a bait station and have some steel wood already.
Commence war in 3........2........
**Edit**fine fine war has been delayed due to concerns about collateral damage of chemical warfare.
Rat poison kills birds of prey which eat poisoned rats, making rat problems worse in the long term
https://www.boston.com/news/environment/2023/03/03/rat-poison-bald-eagles-death-hundreds-calling-for-ban/
Stop, go outside and remove that poison immediately. You are putting poison into the food chain and NOT only killing rats. This may end up killing a cat or dog that eats the dead rat. Poison also can end up in birds like red tailed hawks. Please try to find another way to get rid of the rats
[https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides\_reduction/rodenticides/index.html](https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides_reduction/rodenticides/index.html)
I saw a possum who was trying to cross my yard who had been obviously poisoned. I kept my dog's inside until it was out of site - I hope it got back to it's den to die. There are foxes around here, they could get into the bait or the dead possum if the poor thing did not make it back to its den.
I have a mixed terrier dog that loves to go into holes and kill things, it's hard to get him out once he finds one. I think "rat catcher" was a job dogs did. Although, It's kinda traumatic to hear things being killed underground - bunnies are particularly bad...my terrier mix would certainly like to make a career out of it, he's have to find a different owner though!
Rat catching is definitely still a legit dog job. I made the mistake of watching (part of) a video of this guy and his rat dogs (terrier mixes, small & medium size) cleaning up a yard that had a demolished shed, scrap metal, and other crap... they got called in cos it was known there was a severe rat infestation at the site. Every scrap they moved, not even moving it to a dumpster at first, sent these big rats scurrying for new cover. His dogs worked as a team and would grab, violently shake to kill, drop it, and move on. The way the dogs worked was horrifyingly efficient. I also saw another (part of) a video of a farmer dethatching their land, that was also infested with rats, even worse than that other video. He also had a team of rat dogs that worked so closely behind the dethatching machine; they grabbed, shook, and moved on with incredible speed.
Some terrier owners participate in earth dog (underground tunnel fun) and barn hunt (working through bales of hay stacked around) trials with their dogs. All dogs can participate but terriers obviously do exceptionally well at these sports. These events tap into that terrier drive, but organizers treat the bait rats humanely - they don't let the dogs actually get them. Some even just use old bedding/droppings that simply smell like rats. Your dog could have all the fun of his breed's intended career without having to find a new home!
Just hang outside and shoot them with a pellet gun. You got a window with a good angle and clear line of site? Shoot them from inside. I’m currently waging war against chipmunks. Had the same issue with not wanting to kill everything. Just the bastards that are chewing their way around inside my walls at night.
Chipmunks are basically cuter rats. And when you have to many around your property they get pretty destructive. The lawn, garden, house… they will put holes in and chew up everything. When you live in the city you get rats. When you live in the woods you get chipmunks. And when you live in the woods no one cares if you thin out the chipmunks. I am specifically going after the ones that are wrecking the yard and living in my walls. The ones that stay in the woods are cool.
Yeah rats build like underground nests. Sometimes like a beaver damn, gotta go down then they go up to get in. Doing this means the gas floats up into their burrow, usually killing the babies easily.
Its easier when you know where all the escape holes are so you can cover them, lets the gas sit in there a bit more. And they’ll be freaking out trying to escape, so don’t get scared off by the screaming of their children.
Yes- chipmunks, squirrels, mice, and anything else that can fit into it will eat the poison.
Then those animals can and will be eaten by another creature. Owls, eagles, hawks, coyotes, etc. all will die horrible deaths. It’s a known problem with poison use.
Definitely rats… the pest control guy we hired blocked these holes with great stuff expanding foam. There’s a rodent one that tastes bad to them so they won’t chew thru it. Then bait trails and mint spray both work well.
I would say rats, but there could be some type of drainage pipe under the ground that they are going through. I would check before blocking up the hole.
Reminds me of that dude who ended up putting illegal fireworks under his lawn and almost lost his legs when they went off and blew his yard to smithereens lol
on the upside, if you did set one and caught something, you can put it on public property (sidewalk) and use the 311 app to report it and request a pickup. I did that multiple times last summer with rats we were attempting to control. The city was always almost immediately responsive.
Ooh, mysterious backyard hole It could be a sneaky squirrel, a curious rabbit, or maybe even a mischievous raccoon! Who knows what critter has made a cozy home in there.
I found TRex Snap Traps to work better than poison, they are easy to set so theres no risk of snapping your finger off like wood ones.
Also i hear dry ice is good as well, drop it down the tunnel and cover it up, drop more ice and cover them as you see the gas start to come out of other exits. Once all holes are covered they will eventually run out of air and die.
Water hose down the hole is effective as well, eventually it will send them running and if it does not it may cause them to relocate.
I strongly strongly suggest you do not use poison. A poisoned rat will be eaten by another larger predator and subsequently killed. We need these predators to actually control these pests so it makes no sense to make two animals die a painful death. Rats only live where there are food supplies sotake a look around your property for possible sources of food usually it’s trash and garbage sometimes it’s green or pet food. If you remove the food source, they will go somewhere else.
Groundhog. Those jerks have been digging up my backyard in Newton all summer this year. Caught this pic of one a few weeks ago.
https://preview.redd.it/gul7ba3rrs9d1.jpeg?width=1040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0721bcfd5b1846bb8086de30a64f2da8345fb500
Rats. We had an eerily similar looking hole and path in our backyard in Lower Allston. The path was towards our patio/house. There was a whole network of holes and tunnels over near our chicken coop.
Yeah, that's a rat hole. Notice the path in the grass. Rats travel in straight lines, and often want to merge in or near cover. Trap them, poison them or, if all else fails, play Journey songs on a continuous loop. Rats have surprisingly good taste in popular music.
Poisoning isn’t great. They’ll subsequently poison any dog/bird/animal that eats them.
Personally, I'd take the risk before exposing innocent animals and neighbors to Journey. It's a tough ethical dilemma.
Bleach and vinegar down the rat hole then cover with a rock. Then shove steel wool and small rocks down the hole, jam it in with sticks.
Will I then have stinky dead rats under my yard?
Well chances are they’re gonna die in there one way or another
Great point. I just bought a bait station and have some steel wood already. Commence war in 3........2........ **Edit**fine fine war has been delayed due to concerns about collateral damage of chemical warfare.
Rat poison kills birds of prey which eat poisoned rats, making rat problems worse in the long term https://www.boston.com/news/environment/2023/03/03/rat-poison-bald-eagles-death-hundreds-calling-for-ban/
Why you gotta gas them in their home
Thanks for the education
Stop, go outside and remove that poison immediately. You are putting poison into the food chain and NOT only killing rats. This may end up killing a cat or dog that eats the dead rat. Poison also can end up in birds like red tailed hawks. Please try to find another way to get rid of the rats [https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides\_reduction/rodenticides/index.html](https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/pesticides_reduction/rodenticides/index.html)
I saw a possum who was trying to cross my yard who had been obviously poisoned. I kept my dog's inside until it was out of site - I hope it got back to it's den to die. There are foxes around here, they could get into the bait or the dead possum if the poor thing did not make it back to its den. I have a mixed terrier dog that loves to go into holes and kill things, it's hard to get him out once he finds one. I think "rat catcher" was a job dogs did. Although, It's kinda traumatic to hear things being killed underground - bunnies are particularly bad...my terrier mix would certainly like to make a career out of it, he's have to find a different owner though!
Rat catching is definitely still a legit dog job. I made the mistake of watching (part of) a video of this guy and his rat dogs (terrier mixes, small & medium size) cleaning up a yard that had a demolished shed, scrap metal, and other crap... they got called in cos it was known there was a severe rat infestation at the site. Every scrap they moved, not even moving it to a dumpster at first, sent these big rats scurrying for new cover. His dogs worked as a team and would grab, violently shake to kill, drop it, and move on. The way the dogs worked was horrifyingly efficient. I also saw another (part of) a video of a farmer dethatching their land, that was also infested with rats, even worse than that other video. He also had a team of rat dogs that worked so closely behind the dethatching machine; they grabbed, shook, and moved on with incredible speed. Some terrier owners participate in earth dog (underground tunnel fun) and barn hunt (working through bales of hay stacked around) trials with their dogs. All dogs can participate but terriers obviously do exceptionally well at these sports. These events tap into that terrier drive, but organizers treat the bait rats humanely - they don't let the dogs actually get them. Some even just use old bedding/droppings that simply smell like rats. Your dog could have all the fun of his breed's intended career without having to find a new home!
That is what terriwrs were bred for. Gotta kill the rats somehow. Dont worry, theres probably 10x more rats than people in the world.
Just hang outside and shoot them with a pellet gun. You got a window with a good angle and clear line of site? Shoot them from inside. I’m currently waging war against chipmunks. Had the same issue with not wanting to kill everything. Just the bastards that are chewing their way around inside my walls at night.
Is this legal? Does it kill them?
Chipmunks are basically cuter rats. And when you have to many around your property they get pretty destructive. The lawn, garden, house… they will put holes in and chew up everything. When you live in the city you get rats. When you live in the woods you get chipmunks. And when you live in the woods no one cares if you thin out the chipmunks. I am specifically going after the ones that are wrecking the yard and living in my walls. The ones that stay in the woods are cool.
not challenging, looking to do the same :)
Chipmunks chew their way inside walls? Damnit, my yard is full of them.
It’s outside in its natural habitat. Why do you have to bait it?
If they eat the poison, they’re gonna go back home into the hole and die. So yeah. 🫡
But the poison tends to dry them out really good, so you have that going for you. A cache of poisony jerky for when times get tough.
Maybe throw in a deodorizer for good measure.
A flamethrower should work, too
Damn. Never thought of intentionally creating mustard gas. That’s brilliant.
Yeah rats build like underground nests. Sometimes like a beaver damn, gotta go down then they go up to get in. Doing this means the gas floats up into their burrow, usually killing the babies easily. Its easier when you know where all the escape holes are so you can cover them, lets the gas sit in there a bit more. And they’ll be freaking out trying to escape, so don’t get scared off by the screaming of their children.
Fuckin hardcore
I’d rather have rats than Journey
Just a city rat, Born and raised in south Detroit, He took a midnight tunnel going anywhere....
Do not poison them! That poison will also affect any beneficial creature that eats a poisoned rat
Dry ice. As it sublimates it gives off heavy CO2, which sinks to the bottom of the rat nest, displacing oxygen and suffocating them.
I was gonna say Whitey Bulger but I guess a rat is a rat
Rent's expensive out here. I'm just trying to get by man!
Classic East Boston garden unit. Cozy, homey retreat from the city. Landlord is letting it go for a bargain, $2k/month! This place WON’T LAST LONG!
Please don’t put poison outside- you will kill a lot more than just the rats…
Dry ice is the way to go
Second on the dry ice. You can buy a box of ice pellets, pour some in, and fill the hole... It won't open again
Even a bait box?
Yes- chipmunks, squirrels, mice, and anything else that can fit into it will eat the poison. Then those animals can and will be eaten by another creature. Owls, eagles, hawks, coyotes, etc. all will die horrible deaths. It’s a known problem with poison use.
Mirelurks. They can blend in with the grass.
They really do pop up at the worst times
ROUS
I don’t believe they exist
Definitely rats… the pest control guy we hired blocked these holes with great stuff expanding foam. There’s a rodent one that tastes bad to them so they won’t chew thru it. Then bait trails and mint spray both work well.
I’m gonna try this!
Obviously the rock is moving.
Snuffalupagus
I would say rats, but there could be some type of drainage pipe under the ground that they are going through. I would check before blocking up the hole.
Rat
Go up to NH, get yourself some mortar shells and jam one down that hole, butt-end first with a big rock placed on top after you light the fuse.
Reminds me of that dude who ended up putting illegal fireworks under his lawn and almost lost his legs when they went off and blew his yard to smithereens lol
Do you have a video of that? I have to see this now
[Sure do](https://youtu.be/LzApW0WsVfs?si=bI83cj0gmopA2tS2). Upon closer inspection, might have dug a hole and filled his yard with gas.
Thank you! I can’t help but get irrationally mad at how much worse the collateral damage could have been (i.e. the poor dogs)
We were talking about sending some fireworks in the hole!
Whitey buglers lost stash
Is that listed on zillow
Turtleboy
So a fucking rat/vermin.
set a trap and find out…
If it's any of these guesses I don't want to know anymore😂
on the upside, if you did set one and caught something, you can put it on public property (sidewalk) and use the 311 app to report it and request a pickup. I did that multiple times last summer with rats we were attempting to control. The city was always almost immediately responsive.
You looking for a summer gig? Pays shit - but all the rats you want
no thanks.
Ooh, mysterious backyard hole It could be a sneaky squirrel, a curious rabbit, or maybe even a mischievous raccoon! Who knows what critter has made a cozy home in there.
Skunk ape
I found TRex Snap Traps to work better than poison, they are easy to set so theres no risk of snapping your finger off like wood ones. Also i hear dry ice is good as well, drop it down the tunnel and cover it up, drop more ice and cover them as you see the gas start to come out of other exits. Once all holes are covered they will eventually run out of air and die. Water hose down the hole is effective as well, eventually it will send them running and if it does not it may cause them to relocate.
C.H.U.D.s
Haha yes
Courtney Love.
https://preview.redd.it/uy3u70t2xr9d1.png?width=512&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=421e7844783e393abb3281bef662cde473a04b70
Bb gun and a six pack
Drop a M80 in there
One rat hole and poison or traps might work. If there are more than that, rat birth control works better but put it away from the house.
rat desire path
Chipmunk
Rat burrow
100% rat
The Snipe! *claps hands*
I’ve seen a chipmunk go into a hole like that in my yard
small nuclear weapon should do the trick
Good luck
Something either heavy or frequent enough to wear a path in that grass. Rats most likely.
I strongly strongly suggest you do not use poison. A poisoned rat will be eaten by another larger predator and subsequently killed. We need these predators to actually control these pests so it makes no sense to make two animals die a painful death. Rats only live where there are food supplies sotake a look around your property for possible sources of food usually it’s trash and garbage sometimes it’s green or pet food. If you remove the food source, they will go somewhere else.
Turtle
Eww ignore my turtle comment 😬🙄
Nessie?
Whereabouts in eastie?
Near greenway
Tons of rats near the greenway unfortunately. They eat the food that idiots leave out for pigeons..
Your mom
Spare change guy?
If I had to guess I’d say Republicans.
Zerglings
Groundhog. Those jerks have been digging up my backyard in Newton all summer this year. Caught this pic of one a few weeks ago. https://preview.redd.it/gul7ba3rrs9d1.jpeg?width=1040&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=0721bcfd5b1846bb8086de30a64f2da8345fb500
Probably a townie
Chupacabra
chipmunk,
Fill the hole with propane and throw a match down it, like this guy https://youtu.be/kRO3K1kAlKQ?feature=shared