Expert help please

[Maggie3fan]

I own a manufactured home in a Manufactured home park...they have rules that I am always breaking consciously or unconsciously... so the latest one that I'm breaking is that I have been having the predator guy bring his traps here to catch some skunks under my house...and the first night I'm just going to run this off and my under my bedroom window in my side yard he caught the first night three rats and a possum the next night two possums and 2 rats the next night 3 skunks, last night two voles and a skunk... now management tells me that the guy tells her that is leftover tortoise food that is attracting these animals and the research that I've done tells me that rats and voles and mice don't eat Rose of Sharon or grape leaves or lawn or any of the crap that I feed my effing tortoises so I'm getting in trouble now and they're talking about my turtles and tortoises and you know if they decide that it's all trouble my animals could be gone so I want some of you experts to dredge up your latest research to show that rats skunks, voles or mice do not eat the stuff that I grow to feed them .PLEASE

 

[Yvonne G]

Did you HIRE this guy? So since you're paying him it's your right to ask him why he would say that to mgmt. Tell him what you feed the tortoises and the only left over food is vegetation. . . the same vegetation that can be found all over the park.

 

[KarenSoCal]

Maggie, I can't help you, but please know that I am with you and support you in this! I will be praying that you can convince management to leave you and your torts alone. 🙏l

 

[Ink]

OMG. Could your neighbor be leaving stuff out to attract these animals? I am so sorry you are going through this. ❤️

 

[Lyn W]

They would definitely go for things like seeds or cat/dog food etc, but I think it's highly unlikely they would go anywhere near humans for vegetation they can get anywhere.
Good luck I hope they leave you and the torts alone.

 

[jaizei]

I think every animal listed is omnivorous, so it wouldn't seem unusual that they'd eat flowers or leaves that are left there.

Or it could be the tortoises themselves that are attracting them.

 

[ZEROPILOT]

At any rate it would seem like a big win for the community to be rid of a few dozen pests.
It seems like they should thank you.

 

[Maro2Bear]

So, other than Rose of Sharon, what else are you growing? Skunks & possums & rats like to forage about in gardens eating misc garden things that are ripe or spoiled. So, what do you have that might be attracting these critters?

These critters could be roaming about eating up everyone’s stuff, cat food, dog food, rotting food in gardens, garbage cans with no lids, etc.

 

[Cathie G]

Well... Everything a few others have mentioned. But really those animals should be around anyway . I live in a city and have seen most of the above animals everywhere even deer in broad daylight beside a busy street. They need a home too. It wouldn't matter what you do with food they still have to have a roof over their heads like the rest of us Also I feel that the people you hired have broken the heppa law with you. Or does that law just apply if they need it not to answer your questions 🤔 🤗🙏

 

[Maro2Bear]

At any rate it would seem like a big win for the community to be rid of a few dozen pests.
It seems like they should thank you.

But…..I think the “HOA” (for lack of better words) is blaming Maggie’s tortoises & associated food for attracting the basically unwanted critters. Skunks, opossums, rats, mice, moles & voles are not the cute & cuddly animals that ppl like. Sooo, they might issue a “cease & desist” type order. Get rid of your tortoises & associated food since it is attracting vermin into our neighborhood.

 

[Maggie3fan]

Spring Summer and fall my torts eat...ROS leafs and blooms, grape vine for the leafs no grapes, different grasses, weeds and hay. I have a bush growing squash and I pick them when ripe. I used to feed the wild birds and then I would see rats in the day time. I haven't fed the birds for over a year now. Winter they are in a tort shed where they eat hay and different lettuces and other produce the torts would eat. but that's in the shed and any lettuces left outside is eaten by slugs not rats...normally I wouldn't worry about management...but this team is deadly and they are already harassing me...They say " I have rats because of the torts"

OMG. Could your neighbor be leaving stuff out to attract these animals? I am so sorry you are going through this. ❤️

No she has small dogs

But…..I think the “HOA” (for lack of better words) is blaming Maggie’s tortoises & associated food for attracting the basically unwanted critters. Skunks, opossums, rats, mice, moles & voles are not the cute & cuddly animals that ppl like. Sooo, they might issue a “cease & desist” type order. Get rid of your tortoises & associated food since it is attracting vermin into our neighborhood.

But....I live on the edge of a grass seed field. When they plow,all the rodents leave the field and go under our house...OUR not just mine

 

[TammyJ]

Spring Summer and fall my torts eat...ROS leafs and blooms, grape vine for the leafs no grapes, different grasses, weeds and hay. I have a bush growing squash and I pick them when ripe. I used to feed the wild birds and then I would see rats in the day time. I haven't fed the birds for over a year now. Winter they are in a tort shed where they eat hay and different lettuces and other produce the torts would eat. but that's in the shed and any lettuces left outside is eaten by slugs not rats...normally I wouldn't worry about management...but this team is deadly and they are already harassing me...They say " I have rats because of the torts"

No she has small dogs

But....I live on the edge of a grass seed field. When they plow,all the rodents leave the field and go under our house...OUR not just mine

I really feel for you in this situation. Sometimes, the real pests around are your neighbors. Keep your home clean, remove any possible attractants for pests and find your lawyer. Good luck!

 

[Dovey]

Bird feeders, outdoor cat feeders, and kitchen garbage are the culprits. Rather than trying to fly under the radar, I would be proactive with management about this. Otherwise it will just raise its ugly head again later. And yes, your exterminator is professionally obligated to get his story correct with management. Especially if you are paying him!

 

[Maggie3fan]

This is what I sent...

Margaret Cummings <​	Sep 8, 2022, 1:51 PM (18 hours ago)

I agree that the problem has been expensive, but isn't that because he is catching numerous rodents, and isn't that the point? I also agree that his job is to rid my house of skunks. He's trapped one, but now I have a skunk smell under my kitchen sink and in my dishwasher. I am glad he's removed the moles and some possums...but I need the skunk smell gone. I showed you a photo taken from my bedroom window of 5 skunks...believe me... they did not all leave. Now about rats...we have Norway rats here more than any other species...they do not eat leftover tortoise food which is Rose of Sharon blooms and leaves, grape leafs, dandelion flowers and leaves, turnip greens, unnamed weeds and different grasses growing in the tort pen. Does that sound like rat food to you? I used to see 2 or 3 sleek healthy-looking rats a day...under my wild bird feeding stations...then Terri moved in with an outside cat, who evidently bullies Terri...anyway, he started using my bird stations as his own cafeteria. and almost daily there was evidence of him and a bird, he sees me and drops a body and jumps over the fence. Mediation did nothing for the Terri cat problem, so I had to stop feeding the wild birds.It meant a lot to me that my yard had been an Audubon awarded yard...my point is I haven't fed the birds for almost 2 years now. So the rat infestation is not due to my tortoises or the bird seed any more. Grass seed field...equals rats, voles, mice and possums. I get raccoons every night, the motion sensor doesn't even startle them. I have come face to face with a 40 pound (or so) male raccoon right on my deck. I am still using my own trap to get the rats...I need help with the skunks.
P.S.
If Sam works often in Knoll Terrace his cost for setting the traps in a new space should be evened out somehow.
this is one tortoise and she gets this amount twice a day...I climb the tree to get the blooms but the rats don't






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[Maggie3fan]

Taken from my bedroom window
or maybe it's just Simon and some buddies...

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

I own a manufactured home in a Manufactured home park...they have rules that I am always breaking consciously or unconsciously... so the latest one that I'm breaking is that I have been having the predator guy bring his traps here to catch some skunks under my house...and the first night I'm just going to run this off and my under my bedroom window in my side yard he caught the first night three rats and a possum the next night two possums and 2 rats the next night 3 skunks, last night two voles and a skunk... now management tells me that the guy tells her that is leftover tortoise food that is attracting these animals and the research that I've done tells me that rats and voles and mice don't eat Rose of Sharon or grape leaves or lawn or any of the crap that I feed my effing tortoises so I'm getting in trouble now and they're talking about my turtles and tortoises and you know if they decide that it's all trouble my animals could be gone so I want some of you experts to dredge up your latest research to show that rats skunks, voles or mice do not eat the stuff that I grow to feed them .PLEASEView attachment 349653

Seems to me that the above mentioned mammals are omnivores and they wouldn’t be attracted to tortoise food you mentioned. If a cat isn’t being attracted to it I would have to figure a possum, skunk, or rat would not be either. Most that you mentioned are opportunistic feeders. Garbage can grazers and the like. I feed crows and I couldn’t bother them to eat any tortoise chow because there’s always better food to be found.

 

[Donna Albu]

Keep in mind that most of these interlopers will be happy to forage on tortoise poop.

 

[OliveW]

I'm sorry you're dealing with this stupidity.

For a park, it looks like you have a very nice location that backs onto woods? At least it looks like that in the photos. I don't see any possible way that these critters can be blamed on you, given what they feed on. The park should be responsible for trapping and removing them since they are clearly overpopulated there. I've never seen an entire family of skunks at one time!

Too bad you're not in Florida, or any nearby state. I'd encourage you to buy a piece of land and let us move that home for you at the family and friends rate. We own a mobile home moving company with three toter trucks, small business but we are very, very busy. We are licensed to set up, but only do that for friends now due to the lack of people that actually want to WORK.

I do have a question - what are you using for skirting that keeps Mary in? We got a freebie double wide and set it up here on our property for one of our sons. I've been looking it more creative solutions to skirt it, than the stuff that gets torn up by weed eaters.

 

[vladimir]

I've seen skunks and raccoons eating leftover mazuri in our outdoor enclosure, but never any produce or vegetation.

 

[Cathie G]

I'm so sad for you. How in the world and why would they blame anyone for having critters in their yard?!!!!!ok maybe it isn't mother nature's fault they are all slowly dying. Did they relocate the animals or just exterminate them and for whom? There are environmental laws all those people could be violating including you not being able to feed your birds. If not there should be.