Muskrats are large rats that strongly resemble a beaver but are easily recognized by their rat-like tail. The muskrat is common all across the United States and lives anywhere ponds and lakes are because that is their natural habitat where they can hide and easily find food. Muskrats in your pond is not necessarily a detriment, as they eat unwanted vegetation such as cattails. However, this large rodent can cause serious problems for the pond owner, such as damaging the shoreline and dams as they dig holes, and they love to chew fountain cables.
Muskrats are most active in the evening and this is the best time to catch a glimpse of muskrats in your water and plan a trap so that you can remove. They can also be detected by finding trails or runs, generally just below the surface of the water. Muskrats have a thick coat of brown fur and gives off a musky smell during mating season. A prolific breeder, like rabbits, muskrats can produce several litters of young in a season. Similar to the beaver, muskrats build dens. Muskrat dens are constructed mostly of aquatic vegetation, beaver dens are constructed of sticks.
Burrowing activity is the most common cause of muskrat damage because the burrows often damage the shoreline. Tunneled burrows made for home caves can cause collapse of the shoreline which can lead to human injury. Proper construction can help deter the burrowing activity as well as constructing barriers out of fencing. The costliest damage, muskrats have a nasty habit of chewing on <a href=”https://www.fountains2go.com/product-category/pond-fountains”>pond fountain and lighting equipment</a>, like
<a href=”https://www.fountains2go.com/product-category/pond-and-lake-aerators”>pond aerator</a> cables. The damage is most often at the ends of the cable run, or near the motor lead, where that cannot be repaired. Muskrat chewing damage will cause the pond fountain motor to trip. If you have muskrats in your water, we recommend installing pvc flex hose, or stainless steel Flex braiding or both, over your cable to protect it.
If you have these nuisance muskrats, there are several common methods to help control the pesky rodents. Trapping is the most common method and is very effective and humane. There are several companies who provide this service, and it is also a DIY method. Habitat modification, like removing a major food source like cattails and other aquatic vegetation, can deter the muskrats or beavers from making their home in your pond. Using toxicants is another effective method of control, however it is not the preferred method because that can be toxic to other wildlife and the pond water.
Beavers are a much larger rodent with larger teeth that create much larger problems. An adult beaver can live 24 years in the wild, reach 3 feet in length (plus their tail) and weigh up to 50 pounds.
They eat trees and branches as part of their diet, as they are able to digest cellulose. Beavers will also eat aquatic plants in a pond. We have all seen pictures of how a beaver can chew through a tree. It is quite a powerful animal.
To see the damage a beaver can do to the trees and saplings around a pond is unbelievable. If beavers take up residence near your pond, they can completely decimate the trees around the shores to make their lodge or possibly a dam.
To protect your trees from beaver damage is to take proactive measures.
- Wrapping the tree trunk in wire.
- Coating the tree trunk with a mixture containing paint and sand.
- Trap the beaver and relocate it to a location that is more suitable.
