Nutria (home, maintenance, live)

[kpaq]

Is there anything you can do about an infestation? Can I report the crazy lady that feeds froot loops to nutria/skunks out of her hand near Summer Lake? Apparently these ugly animals ruin a lot of wetlands, and Louisiana spends 7mil per year on repairing their damage.

[Rickers]

Solution = Nutria tacos !

[MTNesters]

I just saw an article this morning in the Wilmington Star News about these critters - ugh - they sound awful. I hope that isn't what I'm seeing that somebody told me are otters in our tidal creek!!! Here's the link:
'30-pound ugly rat' a destructive neighbor | StarNewsOnline.com | Star-News | Wilmington, NC

Also hope none of my cats take on a 30 lb. rat!!!

[dachmom]

This is from the Oregon Deptartment of Fish and Wildlife's website:

Legal Status

In Oregon, nutria are classified as unprotected Nongame Wildlife (OAR 635-044-0132). As unprotected wildlife nutria may be trapped (cannot be relocated) or shot. No license is needed for a landowner to control nutria on his/her own property. Most cities have restrictions on leg-hold trapping or the discharge of firearms within their city limits--live trapping is usually the main population control measure inside the city limits.

Exclusion

Since nutria are usually found in waterways, there is often an unlimited supply of replacement animals upstream and downstream from where the damage is occuring. Rapid immigration coupled with a high reproductive rate makes population control a "high effort" method of damage control and often ineffective. Exclusion is often the best long term solution to nutria damage. Most commonly used methods include:

Low woven-wire fences (about 3 feet) with an apron buried at least 6 inches have been used effectively to exclude nutria from home gardens and lawns.

Electric wire barriers have also been used to exclude nutria where vegetation can be controlled to keep it from shorting the wires. Usually one wire 6 inches off the ground will be effective.

Welded-wire cylinders around individual plants are often used where only a few plants need to be protected.

Sheet metal shields can be used to prevent gnawing damage to wooden structures or trees.

Habitat Considerations

In creating dikes and drainage ditches it is often important to consider nutria damage and the maintenance that can be required. Nutria like steeply sloped banks next to relatively deep water for den sites. Dikes and drainage ditches designed with gradual slopes will be much less attractive as den sites and require much less if any nutria damage maintenance.

Crops and gardens located close to water will be more attractive to nutria than those further from water. If you have a choice of where to locate your garden, consider nutria damage. Natural vegetation buffers next to water bodies can provide feeding areas and reduce the attractiveness of vegetation further from the water.

Hazing

Nutria are wary creatures and will try to escape when threatened. Loud noises, high-pressure water sprays, and other types of harassment have been used to scare nutria from lawns and golf courses. The success of this type of control is usually short-lived and problem animals soon return, consequently, hazing is usually not an effective control technique. Large aggressive dogs are often persistant and effective at 'hazing" nutria out of back yards. Small dogs are often intimidated by bold nutria.

Repellents and Trapping

No chemical repellents for nutria are currently registered.

Nutria are easily captured in live traps. Bait live traps with sweet potatoes or carrots and place them along active trails or wherever nutria or their sign are seen. A small amount of bait leading to the entrance of the live trap will increase capture success. When cornered or captured, nutria are aggressive and can inflict serious injury to pets and humans. Extreme care should be taken when handling captured nutria

Hope this helps.