Living with badgers

Emily_Joy

The HS2 construction destroyed wildlife habitats in our area and we now see deer and foxes regularly    as they have nowhere to hide. Further to that, a local family of badgers seem to have moved into our little town and decided that our garden is nice place for their set entrance. On the other side they seem to arrange a path under the fence, so there is a characteristic hole underneath. I am somewhat concerned that the house is likely to be difficult to sell now - although the entrance is hidden under the hedgerow it is still quite visible. I am hoping they will not damage the trees forming the hedge... 
As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers and personal experience are very welcome. 

MouldyOldDough

Emily_Joy said:

The HS2 construction destroyed wildlife habitats in our area and we now see deer and foxes regularly    as they have nowhere to hide. Further to that, a local family of badgers seem to have moved into our little town and decided that our garden is nice place for their set entrance. On the other side they seem to arrange a path under the fence, so there is a characteristic hole underneath. I am somewhat concerned that the house is likely to be difficult to sell now - although the entrance is hidden under the hedgerow it is still quite visible. I am hoping they will not damage the trees forming the hedge... 
As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers and personal experience are very welcome. 

Badgers can (and do) tunnel deep under house foundations - You ought to check your home insurance !

you really don't want them on your property

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/310469/How-burrowing-badgers-have-put-homes-at-risk-of-collapse

https://www.crownandburrow.co.uk/ourservices/badgerimpactassessments

elsien

is the sett entrance actually inside your garden?
if not, you can block access to your garden as long as you don’t block the entrance to the sett.
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/badgers-protection-surveys-and-licences

Emily_Joy

MouldyOldDough said:

Emily_Joy said:

The HS2 construction destroyed wildlife habitats in our area and we now see deer and foxes regularly    as they have nowhere to hide. Further to that, a local family of badgers seem to have moved into our little town and decided that our garden is nice place for their set entrance. On the other side they seem to arrange a path under the fence, so there is a characteristic hole underneath. I am somewhat concerned that the house is likely to be difficult to sell now - although the entrance is hidden under the hedgerow it is still quite visible. I am hoping they will not damage the trees forming the hedge... 
As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers and personal experience are very welcome. 

Badgers can (and do) tunnel deep under house foundations - You ought to check your home insurance !

you really don't want them on your property

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/310469/How-burrowing-badgers-have-put-homes-at-risk-of-collapse

https://www.crownandburrow.co.uk/ourservices/badgerimpactassessments

Sadly, with the sett entrance being in our garden, it appears there is nothing I can do about that. But I can check my home insurance. What am I checking it for? 

twopenny

I have a badger run as part of my garden but it's fenced off with chain link attached and in a foot or so.

They tend to stick to the same routes through generations so do you have their heritage routes near you?
There are usually people living locally who belong to badger conservation who could help you and them. It would be worth asking for advice.

I did consider buying a property with a badger trail running through the garden. Would have enjoyed watching them.

Re your property, what runs along your walls? Chipping or flower bed?
Only one person on our little estate had a problem. The youngsters would dig in her flower bed against the wall so she planted huge and beautiful white hydrangeas and that stopped them.

MouldyOldDough

Emily_Joy said:

MouldyOldDough said:

Emily_Joy said:

The HS2 construction destroyed wildlife habitats in our area and we now see deer and foxes regularly    as they have nowhere to hide. Further to that, a local family of badgers seem to have moved into our little town and decided that our garden is nice place for their set entrance. On the other side they seem to arrange a path under the fence, so there is a characteristic hole underneath. I am somewhat concerned that the house is likely to be difficult to sell now - although the entrance is hidden under the hedgerow it is still quite visible. I am hoping they will not damage the trees forming the hedge... 
As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers and personal experience are very welcome. 

Badgers can (and do) tunnel deep under house foundations - You ought to check your home insurance !

you really don't want them on your property

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/310469/How-burrowing-badgers-have-put-homes-at-risk-of-collapse

https://www.crownandburrow.co.uk/ourservices/badgerimpactassessments

Sadly, with the sett entrance being in our garden, it appears there is nothing I can do about that. But I can check my home insurance. What am I checking it for? 

For any mention of cover for undermining damage to property by badgers

Eldi_Dos

Emily_Joy said:. 

As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers 

Make a asset of them, look into setting up cameras and a webpage which you might be able to monetise.

There most likely will be a Badger protection group in your County, they will be able to advise on how to make your garden more badger friendly, images of Cubs frolicking about in your garden overnight might catch the publics eye.

MouldyOldDough

Eldi_Dos said:

Emily_Joy said:. 

As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers 

Make a asset of them, look into setting up cameras and a webpage which you might be able to monetise.

There most likely will be a Badger protection group in your County, they will be able to advise on how to make your garden more badger friendly, images of Cubs frolicking about in your garden overnight might catch the publics eye.

Seriously ?

You don't want to encourage badgers in your garden 

Eldi_Dos

MouldyOldDough said:

Eldi_Dos said:

Emily_Joy said:. 

As far as I understand due to badgers protection act there is not much we can do. Any tips of living with badgers 

Make a asset of them, look into setting up cameras and a webpage which you might be able to monetise.

There most likely will be a Badger protection group in your County, they will be able to advise on how to make your garden more badger friendly, images of Cubs frolicking about in your garden overnight might catch the publics eye.

Seriously ?

You don't want to encourage badgers in your garden 

The OP asked for tips on living with Badgers that are already there.

My post at least had the courtesy of answering one of the points asked.

Emily_Joy

Our insurance does not say anything about badgers. The only time I heard about badgers was during HS2 protests when local activists were trying to protect (parts of) very old forests nearby.

Perhaps some pictures will help. The house is on a side of a hill and the garden is tiered,  so the entrance to the sett which is on the third tier is about 2 meters higher than our ground floor. 

Close view of the sett entrance: 



The sett entrance viewed from further away: 



Finally, the an entrance they have made on the other side: 

twopenny

Get in touch with your county badger group who will know where the usual sets were and where the trails are. These remain established over decades and they live in established families so something has made them change.
They won't like it any more than you.

It's likely that they have done this in desperation because it's coming up to breeding time in spring so they need somewhere for the babies.
If you make it busy with humans they won't like that and look for somewhere else. But you need to know why they've chosen you.

They are far enough away not to be a nuisance unless they start digging for worms etc.
Don't put out peanuts for birds.
Light the area.

But living with them is easy and can be a pleasure. I was disappointed to find ours had left because of floodlights and playing on the tennis courts till night time by their sett.