What is eating plastic sprinkler heads? (houses, buy, gas) - Rock Hill - Fort Mill - York - Tega Cay - Lancaster - City-Data Forum

movingdown · 08-28-2009, 06:37 PM

Hello all!

I know this sounds bizarre, but something is eating (scraping) the tops of our plastic sprinkler heads! Our neighbor mentioned the other day that he was having a problem with this on his portable sprinklers and we found two of our inground heads scraped away also. I also hear a neighbor a few houses up the street is having the same problem.

Does anyone out there have any idea what is doing this and how to stop it? It looks like wide teeth have dug out sections of the plastic. Deer? Mice? Rabbits? We have seen nothing out there!!

Thanks for any help you might have!!

marndt · 08-28-2009, 06:44 PM

lawn mower?

1984vt · 08-28-2009, 06:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marndt

lawn mower?

You absolutely beat me to it! First thing I thought when I read the post.

movingdown · 08-28-2009, 06:51 PM

I meant to mention that it can't be the lawn mower because the neighbor next door keeps his portable sprinklers on hoses under the deck when not in use. He doesn't mow over them. Our inground sprinklers are below the level of the grass and pop up. Also, the one that is "eaten" the most is in a foundation bed where I am growing tomatoes and peppers. It sits a bit higher than the ground in the bed. I am not mowing over that one either!!

So... the mystery is still on, but thanks for your VERY quick replies!!

kbrkr · 08-28-2009, 07:40 PM

Why don't you put out one of those hunting cameras that are motion sensitive to see what you catch? Could be fun to find out if it's an animal.

loulamb · 08-30-2009, 06:27 PM

Probably squirrels. They seen to chew just about anything plastic or rubber, including the gas hose on my grill.

hhclt44 · 09-06-2009, 12:02 PM

Gray Squirrels! We had this problem at our prior home as did our neighbors. This was not with sprinkler heads, as we did not have irrigation systems, though a lot of trees with squirrels. This happened with our hard plastic kids play sets, plastic furniture, hose reels, etc. There were scrapes and pits/chips from the squirrels. That would be my bet unless your mower blades almost touch the ground.

movingdown · 09-07-2009, 01:51 PM

Thanks loulamb and hhcit44! The mystery is solved and you were both right!
No night camera needed!!

SQUIRREL... as in one!

We were just sitting out on our porch and my husband saw a squirrel eating away at the neighbor's sprinkler stored under his deck! It sat there for a few minutes chopping away until it heard them coming around the corner to see it!

The neighbor says he will buy only all metal sprinklers from now on. We had the sprinkler that was eaten in our foundation bed replaced and lowered into the ground. It will pop up as needed!!

Geez.. they are cute, but destructive!

Thanks for all your help!