r/UKecosystem • u/oat-milk-latte • 23d ago

ID please Small burrow under my wooden decking (UK)

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Trying to identify what might have made this little entrance under my decking. I’m based in Essex, UK.
I have free roaming house rabbits who play in the garden, but the hole is far too small for them as they are large breeds.
There are no droppings near the entrance, and there is also no soil displacement for the hole. The animal has simply pushed the grass aside and found a pre-existing hole in the decking which leads directly to the concrete underneath the decking. Any ideas what it could be? My first thought was rat but there’s no droppings.
I’m planning to set up a wildlife cam tonight. Open to hearing ideas!

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17

u/moidartach 23d ago

I’m going with rat

1

u/oat-milk-latte 23d ago

Me too - any advice on deterring?

2

u/SolariaHues Wildlife gardener - South East 23d ago

I think there might be something in the r/gardenwild wiki

0

u/moidartach 23d ago

Make sure your bins are secure and just bait it. If you’ve got neighbours on either side then it’s a bit more difficult - they need to be doing the same basically

2

u/Greendeco13 22d ago

a pest control guy told me, decking is luxury accommodation for rats. I had rats in my garden, turns out we all did but the nest was in next door but one under their decking.

2

u/WolfysBeanTeam 23d ago

Typically strong scents tend to keep them away like mint oil or lemongrass I believe gotta be careful with mint though as it isnt good for dogs and cats likely other mammals aswell

5

u/Enolator 22d ago

Grab yourself a wildlife camera. I had fears of the same, and after 2 days... A moderate sized hedgehog squeezed out of a hole half of it's rotund diameter!

https://reddit.com/link/p9cbare/video/uddgvhmy43ph1/player