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I need a cat(s). Both of mine aged out over the last few years, and the dogs don't chase the gophers. So we now have gophers. Many gophers. Rather than the normal surface streams draining the hill during these last storms, we have had a major underground river traveling through the gopher tunnels. Why does this matter, you may ask. One of the sets of block steps I installed up the back hill was being undermined. So it was time to trench the river to the surface and redirect it, lest over a ton of blocks start to slide. I came back inside from that task rather muddy, and Pam insured that my clothes went directly into the wash. Really, I'm not off topic here. Bear with me. Previous to getting the yard tools out, I gathered up all my car keys to open them and check for water leakage (from another post on this Forum). Yes, those keys were still in my pocket. Yes, those keys went through the wash. The AMG key is fine. The F250 key is fine. The 997 key now wants to automatically roll the windows down despite how often I roll them up. What? Are those rain clouds I see??? I need a cat.
But in the FWIW department, years ago I had repaired the switch buttons on the FOB and they definitely weren't like new. Who knows, maybe the problem is mechanical. So I ordered two new FOB cases from the web. I figured it would be good to have a spare case around. They arrived this afternoon. So I installed the new button part onto the old key blade part. And the key still acted up. But it was intermittent which points to connections. Connections generally fail open, but with moisture the opposite can be true. So out came the air compressor. A couple minutes of light blowing on the lock switch, and all is good 😀
So it would appear we can wash our keys. No, this is not a suggestion that you should. But the above "fix" might be worth a go if you do.
I'm not sure if it will do any good, but you could try placing your key into some dry rice and leaving over-night. Might be worth a shot.
As far as a gopher deterrent, you need is a good terrier: Irish, Airedale, Welsh, Fox, take your pick. Great dogs and the gophers would definitely be on the losing end.
Not the most humane thing but after helplessly watching my lawn be systematically destroyed I had enough and went with Gopherhawk. Tried everything including the Bill Murray hose trick and nothing worked. Gopherhawk works like a charm and usually catches one with 24 hours if set after seeing fresh dirt piles. Seven gophers down so far.
Both dogs are part Terrier, to no avail. Of course, being rescue dogs, we could be wrong about heritage. And the arrival of the gophers could be chance rather than based on having cats.
Between drying out in front of one of my minisplits (heat pump wall unit) for a day and hitting it with low pressure air directly at the surface mounted switch, the FOB now seems to work fine. The dry ice is an interesting idea as well. But, still recovering from Covid (yeah, brain fog and fatigue is persistent), we aren't inclined to go shopping for anything.
The online ordered FOB body replacement worked great. I'm happy to have a spare in my drawer for a friend or my next need.
I have made the same experience with my washed FOB, properly blow out and dry long enough and it works flawlessly.
The presented trap makes a good impression, it kills immediately imho. You can also try closing all the holes and connect "the last" one with the exhaust of your mower.
One of my favorite mitigations was using a propane tank to fill the tunnels, and then you ignite it.
Some years ago there were more than a few YouTube videos of people standing on plywood to isolate themselves with a subsequent bodily launch as the plywood could accelerate significantly along the Y axis. Those videos were amusing, but I can't seem to find any to share right now.
Showing my optimism, the rain we've been enjoying lately should drown the little suckers. It's coming down in buckets again tonight.
Wayne... I thought I was reading a post form Bruce at first.
Good to know that the key fob can survive a washing machine.
As to gophers/moles... I highly recommend a feral cat! Not the kind you can pet, the kind that are surviving by hunting. Gophers/ moles/ mice/ rats/ snakes will all be under control.
Good to hear the key is working. I was talking about parking the key in some Rice. Heard it from a friend years ago who worked with electronics...... Essentially put some uncooked rice in a baggie along with the item that needs drying and then seal the baggie. The rice draws the moisture out the offending item in a slow but gentle fashion. I think the time frame was at least 12 hours.
And you've got a great looking pooch. I could see a little bit of Jack Russel lurking in there.
Your problem is not a coincidence and is indeed related to Pam & you being cat-less! I knew your special felines and the gophers were biding their time waiting for their untimely end.
And nice work testing out whether the assorted FOBs are waterproof!
PS What?! No picture of Bella?! Bad bad dad...
Originally Posted by Wayne Smith
A note about washing key FOBs ...
I need a cat(s). Both of mine aged out over the last few years, and the dogs don't chase the gophers. So we now have gophers. Many gophers. Rather than the normal surface streams draining the hill during these last storms, we have had a major underground river traveling through the gopher tunnels. Why does this matter, you may ask. One of the sets of block steps I installed up the back hill was being undermined. So it was time to trench the river to the surface and redirect it, lest over a ton of blocks start to slide. I came back inside from that task rather muddy, and Pam insured that my clothes went directly into the wash. Really, I'm not off topic here. Bear with me. Previous to getting the yard tools out, I gathered up all my car keys to open them and check for water leakage (from another post on this Forum). Yes, those keys were still in my pocket. Yes, those keys went through the wash. The AMG key is fine. The F250 key is fine. The 997 key now wants to automatically roll the windows down despite how often I roll them up. What? Are those rain clouds I see??? I need a cat.
But in the FWIW department, years ago I had repaired the switch buttons on the FOB and they definitely weren't like new. Who knows, maybe the problem is mechanical. So I ordered two new FOB cases from the web. I figured it would be good to have a spare case around. They arrived this afternoon. So I installed the new button part onto the old key blade part. And the key still acted up. But it was intermittent which points to connections. Connections generally fail open, but with moisture the opposite can be true. So out came the air compressor. A couple minutes of light blowing on the lock switch, and all is good 😀
So it would appear we can wash our keys. No, this is not a suggestion that you should. But the above "fix" might be worth a go if you do.
Do you have a working cats program in your area? I always wanted to try it but we have so much traffic and a ton of Coyotes, so I figure they would just die super quick. In San Diego, my friend lived with a TNR/Feral cat foster person and she ended up moving out because the house was on too busy of a road and her feral cats kept getting hit even though they had a pretty big enclosure with heat and etc. However, I like the idea of the TNR working cat programs for feral cats giving them a nice safe place to live and to earn their keep killing annoying rodents. The only other negative is that they might also kill not annoying things like boids but I heard all those are government drones, so whatever.
The shop I worked at that had these cats down in Sante Fe Springs, CA had a "cathouse" situation. The cats came and went from there as desired. It seemed like a fancy chicken coupe like shelter. The lady who took care of them would put out food and water daily. If one got sick or needed vet care, it was pretty easy to trap them and bring them in. Some vets or organizations even offer free traps or temporary free rentals.
...oh, and my dogs are 100% useless. I have had 2 yorkies, a corgi/lab mix, and a old english bulldog + some fosters. All of them were useless. Kill Count: 0.
Last edited by jamesinger; 01-09-2023 at 11:32 PM.
Interesting. Not many cars here but we do have coyotes howling at night as well as the occasional bobcat on the fence line. We've been woken up by a mountain lion a few times as well. A neighbor ten miles west of us posted a video of a visiting bear recently.
Yet the current set of neighborhood cats are old and surviving (as ours did as well). They just won't come into our yard with the dogs. But they all tend to be inside at dusk. Some nights when ours stayed out late we would hear them streaking up the stream to jump through the fence and down the deck to their pet door. They'd come in puffed up to twice their normal size so I figure something was after them.
Our realtor used to come across feral cats. I offered some to a friend to protect the 3200 square foot shop we built 30 miles north of here. They tended to run off quickly.
So ... Any idea how you keep a feral cat within a fenced area with dogs that would challenge them?
Years ago cats were constantly dropped off anonymously to populate an uncle's barn.
Another friend found a volunteer barn cat on his brother's ranch. That is miles from anywhere so we're not sure where that one came from.
There's a cat rescue place outside Laguna Beach (in the Canyon) that has hundreds of cats. All in screened buildings. If there was a practical way to rent them out you could make a fortune!!!
01-08-2023 | 09:03 PM
I need a cat
