Fuine deterrent

[Christian]

Does anybody know of a good fuine deterrent?  I think that I heard somewhere that there is a preparation available from chemists.  It's something like they can't stand the smell.  Anyway does anybody know what it is and whether it works?

Thanks,

Christian

[Chezstevens]

Some locals p** in a bottle and spread it around the area you want to protect.  Renewing the scent every week/10 days.  Personally I think it is taking the p***!

[Clair]

A few suggestions here: http://www.completefrance.com/cs/forums/1130616/ShowPost.aspx

[Ninthace]

You can buy tins of deterrent from hunting supplies shops.  It is napthalene in solution.  Pour some on a rag and leave it in the offending area.  I use it in our vide sanitaire, it keeps the beast at bay but since our fire draws air from the vide, there is a down side.  To steal from a well known movie - I love the smell of mothballs in the morning!

[Thibault]

[quote user="Ninthace"]You can buy tins of deterrent from hunting supplies shops.  It is napthalene in solution.  Pour some on a rag and leave it in the offending area.  I use it in our vide sanitaire, it keeps the beast at bay but since our fire draws air from the vide, there is a down side.  To steal from a well known movie - I love the smell of mothballs in the morning![/quote]

We would be very interested in this product.  What is it called?  I am not sure I have seen a "hunting supplies shop" either!

Last winter, I managed to find some old-fashioned moth balls with the napthalene smell and chucked them all over the grenier.  Result - no fouines over-wintering.

When I tried to buy some more this autumn, I drew a blank everywhere.  The shop-keepers told me they had been banned because they were toxic and all the "new" moth balls either smelt of flowers or did not smell at all!

 

[odile]

a Russian friend who is a research chemist told me off for using moth balls in draws/cupboard - told me they were very dangerous and shouldn't be used near humans. She was very concerned. She has moved now and I haven't got a tel number - but as she has several Phds, I have trusted her advice ever since.

[Clair]

[quote user="odile"]a research chemist told me off for using moth balls [...] told me they were very dangerous and shouldn't be used near humans.[/quote]

As I understand it, they is no suggestion here of using mothballs near humans.

We successfully deterred a persistent and noisy family of fouines a couple a years ago by scattering mothballs (boules de naphtaline) in the attic and on the edge of the access points.

We bought them in a droguerie (hardware store), where they were kept behind the counter.

[odile]

Ninthace mentionned that their fire draws air from the area treated- hence my concerns.

[odile]

and of course in case young kids pick them up - so caution required.

[odile]

just found this natural repellent recipe on  voila.fr

infuse for a few hours a glove of crushed garlic + 1 sliced onion with 1 tablespoon of cayenne pepper - strain liquid into a spray and spray area.

No idea if it works, but worth a try?

[Christian]

I have searched high and low for Boules de Napthalene.  I have tried several hardware stores, Gammes Vert, Super Markets, but all I can find are the modern equivalents that don't smell.  Does anybody know anywhere that they are sold?.............as close to Marciac as possible.

Thanks.

[val douest]

We bought ours from e-Bay (UK) - if you search the site for napthalene mothballs lots of sellers will come up.  I think I had them sent to a friend who was coming out soon, but if you search through the sellers you may find one who will send them to France (might be a problem, though as they are inflammable and generally banned from sale).  I couldn't find any sellers on e-bay France.  If you don't have any friends/family who are visiting soon then it might be worth talking to the lady who runs the English stall in Marciac market.  They do a UK run every month and it may be possible for you to have the mothballs sent to an address they collect from - worth asking anyway!  I can testify to how well they work - we were fouine free almost instantly after a nightmare winter two years ago.

Good luck,

Val

[Thibault]

We also found it impossible to buy them in France.  However they can be bought from Robert Dyas - they are called Dragon Brand.

[passetout]

Hi Christian,

we have suffered with fuines in the roof, and only found this out on a visit, when the place absolutely stunk of heaven knows what, really awful, no way could you stay in the loft, even with windows open, I know you have not asked about the smell, but found that looking up 'skunk smell and deterrents'  on Yahoo USA was quite helpful. Yes I know for those of you out there, that fuines are not skunks, but they have one thing in common, they leave a very similar calling card, the most awful stink that no amount of washing with or without tomato juice, yes, tomatoe juice, moth balls, air freshners, bleach, the only thing I haven't tried is the peroxide, and this I will do the next time we are down.

[Carolski]

Hi

We had a terrible period last year when we were trying to sell the house and had them in our loft...the smell and the noise when they woke us up every night at 3am..for weeks. We tried moth balls (once we found them) but they didnt seem to work. In the end a friend recommended peppermint oil....voila!  it worked..they came smelt and departed. When they returned a few weeks later we threw more cotton wool balls into loft with the oil on and they departed again..result and great relief all round. Hope this helps!

C

 

[merlin]

We also had an awful problem a couple of years ago. We tried moth balls, blocking up all the holes I could find and a trap without success. Eventually I rigged up a light in the loft close to wear it was nesting and left it on all night for a couple of weeks. Did the trick.