Woodchucks Mothballs – Humane Wildlife Removal

Will mothballs or ammonia repel woodchucks?

No, not only are mothballs and ammonia ineffective at repelling woodchucks, but they can also be dangerous to both humans and animals.

Mothballs are branded as a pesticide that is used to kill moths and other fiber eating pests. Most brands of mothballs contain the chemicals naphthalene or paradichlorobenzene which is highly toxic to humans and animals. Although mothballs start as a solid round ball or flake at room temperature, they eventually change into a gas and fumes. If you can smell a mothball it means you have been exposed to the toxic fumes. Pets have been known to mistake them for food and eat them resulting in serious side effects and even death. As well as being ineffective to repel woodchucks, mothballs also contaminate soil and water.

Ammonia is a naturally occurring colorless gas with a strong odor. The foul scent from the gas is found in many household cleaning products in the form of ammonium hydroxide. This is highly toxic when ingested and can cause serious side effects. It’s often used to repel animals; however, the risk of harming children, pets, and other outdoor animal species makes it a poor choice as a woodchuck repellent.

The idea behind using these substances is that they both release a strong and repugnant odor which is supposed to repel woodchucks. Luckily there are far better and safer options to repel them. Here are some natural and effective ways to repel woodchucks without harming them:

Strong scents

There are certain scents that woodchucks cannot stand and will avoid:

Garlic: Crush some garlic and spread it around areas you don’t want the woodchucks to go near. The strong smell should make them avoid these areas, but it will need to be replaced often, especially after rain, as it is perishable.

Common herbs: Mint, sage, basil, chives, rosemary, oregano, and thyme produce a scent woodchucks dislike and can be sprinkled in the areas you don’t want woodchucks to go near.

Lavender: This beautiful flower may smell lovely to humans, but to woodchucks it is overbearing. Try planting it near to their burrows and areas you want them to avoid.

Cayenne pepper: Woodchucks despise both the smell and the heat of cayenne pepper. It can be left in piles outside their burrows and mixed with water to spray on plants and vegetables to discourage them from eating them.

Hair clippings

Hair clippings from both humans and pets is an effective repellent. They dislike and avoid humans so will stay clear of areas where human hair is left. The same goes for pet hair (cat or dog) as they will think a predator is nearby and avoid the area.