The Vent and Rant Thread

[Stitchawl]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I never tried placing mothballs in the soffit. How would you keep them in place?

To get them into the soffit area, I removed one board in the center and sort of shot them down the line with a large rubber band. Throwing would have worked just as well but not been as much fun. Just a handful is all that's needed to keep out the animals.

For the crawl space under the house, I just sprinkled them directly onto the ground as if I was planting seed in a furrow. Perhaps one or two balls every few inches along the trim.


Stitchawl

[wannabee]

Originally Posted by Fbone

That's what I use. Sometimes I trap a squirrel with it too.

I previously used cat food but then I was trapping the neighborhood cats.

Cat food attracts the magpies and kookaburras here. What we do here is sureup all the entrances with wire or something so they can't get in. But moth balls sound great. I built a possum house outside so they hang out in there instead.

@amward. Your problem is different. They're chewing plants not nesting in your EAVES (that's what we call them here) but if they are living in your ceiling or eaves you have to find out where they are getting in and seal it. Preferably when they are out.

[amward]

Originally Posted by PeterT

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soffit

Thank you, I've never heard it called anything but "eaves", either filled or unfilled.

[amward]

Originally Posted by wannabee

@amward. Your problem is different. They're chewing plants not nesting in your EAVES (that's what we call them here) but if they are living in your ceiling or eaves you have to find out where they are getting in and seal it. Preferably when they are out.

No they are not in the roof, been there done that, they just come out of the trees every night, thunder across the roof and on to the the pergola. Not sure how I'd go trying to keep the mothballs on the pergola, maybe in little bags? And what would happen if it rains?

[wannabee]

Originally Posted by amward

No they are not in the roof, been there done that, they just come out of the trees every night, thunder across the roof and on to the the pergola. Not sure how I'd go trying to keep the mothballs on the pergola, maybe in little bags? And what would happen if it rains?

We have a tin roof, and if there isn't a parade of paws across it every night I wonder were they've gone and seriously worry about them. As long as they aren't pissing in the ceiling cavity or eating my veggie garden, good health and long life. A bit of sacrificial rotten fruit seems to keep their attention away from anything I call precious.

[Fbone]

I hired someone to board up the soffit. The chicken wire didn't work. The raccoons were able to pry the screen and nails back and get in. I'll ask him to throw a few mothballs in before sealing it. The roof is at an angle so they may settle at the bottom but maybe it will hide the previous occupant's scent.

[wannabee]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I hired someone to board up the soffit. The chicken wire didn't work. The raccoons were able to pry the screen and nails back and get in. I'll ask him to throw a few mothballs in before sealing it. The roof is at an angle so they may settle at the bottom but maybe it will hide the previous occupant's scent.

Wow! Real break and enter. Around here we have electric fences for really intent beasts. I'm sure that would work. You can get solar powered ones too.

[poohbear_nc]

I think racoons are smart enough to wear face masks to avoid the moth ball smell. I tried using moth balls when I had opossums "nesting" in the pipe insulation under my house one year. I guess they had so many pink fibers up their noses they didn't notice the smell - but I sure did. Finally had to trap the little devils & hand them over to the Fish & Game folk to relocate.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by Fbone

I hired someone to board up the soffit. The chicken wire didn't work. The raccoons were able to pry the screen and nails back and get in. I'll ask him to throw a few mothballs in before sealing it. The roof is at an angle so they may settle at the bottom but maybe it will hide the previous occupant's scent.

NO!!!!!!!!! don't do that!!!!!!!! your attic needs to breathe through those sofits! there will be excess build-up of warm air in the summer and moist air in the winter! you will get mildew as well! and if you ever try to sell the inspector will hammer that at inspection!

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

NO!!!!!!!!! don't do that!!!!!!!! your attic needs to breathe through those sofits! there will be excess build-up of warm air in the summer and moist air in the winter! you will get mildew as well! and if you ever try to sell the inspector will hammer that at inspection!

I'll only board the area the raccoons entered. About 10 feet of soffit.

I don't have many options left. I even cut the branches of the tree next to the house but they climb the downspouts.

[bjones6416]

Originally Posted by poohbear_nc

I think racoons are smart enough to wear face masks to avoid the moth ball smell.

You took the words right out of my mouth! (Although I was going to say something along the lines of finding the raccoons playing marbles with the mothballs.) My brother dabbled in animal rehab for a while, and once had a raccoon in his home for a short while. He was truly awed at the level of destruction it was able to accomplish in a very short time. They're smart, and they are vewy, vewy, curious.

[kindlekitten]

Originally Posted by bjones6416

You took the words right out of my mouth! (Although I was going to say something along the lines of finding the raccoons playing marbles with the mothballs.) My brother dabbled in animal rehab for a while, and once had a raccoon in his home for a short while. He was truly awed at the level of destruction it was able to accomplish in a very short time. They're smart, and they are vewy, vewy, curious.

I grew up with a raccoon. it was like having twin two and a half year olds on a sugar high. constantly

[Rumpelteazer]

Clothing sizes.

About six weeks or so I bought two new pairs of jeans. I'm losing weight and the two are at least one size too big now. I knew I had two, relatively new, pairs of jeans in my closet that were too small for me a while back. Considering I lost weight I tried them on again last night. They fit but they are really tight. Interestingly they are the same size as the two that are now too big.

Per brand and per shop the sizes of clothes differ, I would like to go into a shop and being able to get my size to try it on. Now I always get three different sizes: the one I think should fit and one bigger and one smaller.

[Stitchawl]

Give, give, give! Doesn't anyone take any more?!?


Stitchawl

[amward]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Give, give, give! Doesn't anyone take any more?!?


Stitchawl

I'll take, what are you offering?