About Stone Martens

[Johan (Keyholder)]

Maybe it is not a very common animal (predator) in the area where you live. Stone marten likes water, nature and often lives near housing. So, in farms, but also rural dwellings - and now more often also in any place where the marten finds a suitable place to nest and live, one can find one.

Well, there is one (or more, a nest maybe) in my house! Uninvited. It destroys wiring and pipes (for water, electricty...). It smells and it's hard to locate (we never saw it so far), we just "hear" it a lot.

Over here and in many other European countries it is a protected animal. You can't trap it, catch it or kill it... How to get rid of it in one's house, now thàt very few seem to know.

I read all about ultrasone, loud music (!), lemon and lime smells, vinegar. But the general message is that once they are "in", you won't get them "out" that easily. If one dies or leaves, very soon another one moves in (they are very territorial and solitary).

Prevention is better, make sure there ano entrances/holes largerthan 4 by 4 cms. That is difficult with the type of house I am talking about.

Professional "catchers" are very hard to find. If you do, they cost a fortune.

So, this post to see if any other Avalonians here have tried to solve this problem in a nature-friendly way. We don't want to kill it... but having one "in the house" we don't want either. Any alternative method, I would like to hear about. Thanks.

[cascadian]

I have caught similar animals in PNW of usa (bushytailed wood rat) in the attic of my house using a metal cage live trap. Once caught in live trap you can then transport it to a different place. Good luck, animals can be persistent!

[Bill Ryan]

We definitely need a photo. :)

https://www.waldwissen.net/assets/FVA/Lebensraum_Wald/Marder/zdenek-stock_adobe.jpg

[Johan (Keyholder)]

You know Cascadian, over here even thàt is forbidden! Except by people that have a permit for that. Of course, who would know if one did.

And yes, that picture is him/her! Nice one Bill.

However, it is very rare here to spot them in the daylight.

[Sunny-side-up]

My best advice/bet is:
If your in UK call RSPCA or the local wildlife trust in your area, they will move it for you.

[Johan (Keyholder)]

Not so in Belgium...I checked. Some organisations will give advice on what to do, but they will never move it.

[ExomatrixTV]

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Marten Symbolic Meanings:


Bravery
Cleverness
Curiosity
Forest Magic
Independence
Learning
Maternal Nature
Resourcefulness
Sacrifice
The Hermit

source (https://whatismyspiritanimal.com/spirit-totem-power-animal-meanings/mammals/marten-symbolism-meaning)

[Le Chat]

Thanks for the photo, I had in my mind's eye a bird....

[Mike Gorman]

Thanks for the photo, I had in my mind's eye a bird....

Yes, me also, I imagined something like a 'House Martin' - I had never heard of these creatures, looks like a stoat, old world forest animal

[Michel Leclerc]

Hello Johan.

Might one try the opposite approach: try to more or less “domesticate” them? As could be done with foxes? Putting a food trail etc. moving them away from the house..

Their habits seem to indicate that they would be excellent rodent hunters (mice, rats), as effective as cats (?). They might be given shelter somewhere in the garden (removing the smell by “fixing it”).. I am thinking of what nature protectors over here recommend for snakes. Practically all snakes being good "cleaners“ of smaller “annoying” animals, a bit unpleasantly smelly etc.: create a secluded home for them, moist and shady, and you can make them useful. Maybe this is just romantic dreaming.

On the other hand: if you have a cat or cats– would martens be dangerous for cats? I have no idea.

(By the way, I once heard that there is a Belgian subspecies of the stone martens called the wilfried martens. Ever heard of those?)

[Johan (Keyholder)]

I completely agree with you Michel ! I did read up on my "marter-knowledge", and creating a secluded home for them - when possible - is a good idea.
Catching them is very difficult, I would not consider that myself anyway. Killing them certainly not either, they are indeed useful animals. 30 years ago they were only around in Limburg (so I read), now they are all over the country.

Cats, yes, they are known to "hunt" them at times. Chickens and rabbits too (we don't have chickens or fowl here). They are very welcome to hunt mice and rats (those are around, a BIG muskrat destroyed our large pond and we had to repair it earlier this year! Maybe that rat was "too big" for the marten).

And yes, I know the 'subspecies', the 'Wilfried Martens'. It was a unique one, wasn't it? There are not many Belgians on the forum here, but I suppose you are Belgian (Flemish I think) but maybe don't live in the country here (anymore).

Birds and squirls are sometimes victims of the marten too. I would really not like it when the marten would chase our great kingfisher away! Or the other birds. In some way they are already (somewhat) 'domesticated', they are more and more to be found nearby people. Not good for the cars though, they tend to chew on the cables, and someone told me they prefer VW's!).

[Sunny-side-up]

Hello Johan.

Might one try the opposite approach: try to more or less “domesticate” them? As could be done with foxes? Putting a food trail etc. moving them away from the house..

Their habits seem to indicate that they would be excellent rodent hunters (mice, rats), as effective as cats (?). They might be given shelter somewhere in the garden (removing the smell by “fixing it”).. I am thinking of what nature protectors over here recommend for snakes. Practically all snakes being good "cleaners“ of smaller “annoying” animals, a bit unpleasantly smelly etc.: create a secluded home for them, moist and shady, and you can make them useful. Maybe this is just romantic dreaming.

On the other hand: if you have a cat or cats– would martens be dangerous for cats? I have no idea.

(By the way, I once heard that there is a Belgian subspecies of the stone martens called the wilfried martens. Ever heard of those?)

(Now that is a dangerous creature indeed, IE a Politician)

LOL Michel Leclerc
:sun: