Mongoose, Please advise

[tonikim]

I just discovered that mongoose are helping themselves to my koi fish. I have a large pond with lots of lily's and other beautiful plants. What can I do, my koi population is slowly dwindling?

[DoryGray]

I posted the following, back in 2009 in reply to Vicki B. You can also use the search function, there are lots of posts about mongoose.
"You can borrow traps from the Humane Society in Keaau for a refundable deposit. I baited it w/ a very small piece of meat; if you use too much, they can pick it off w/o tripping it. When trapped, drop the trap & all in a garbage can full of water to kill it. It is the most humane way. They are very ferocious w/ needle teeth & disease, so don't touch them."

Chickens vs Mongoose Vicki B
Posted - 04/10/2009 : 20:24:41
We seem to have a mongoose who is raiding the hen house and stealing eggs. We have 2 dogs but they have been unable to catch the rascal!!! Does anyone know what to do to get rid of the mongoose? Mahalo Vicki

[missydog1]

That's odd ... I have a large mongoose population at my house, and I have never lost a koi to one (or at any house). The pond design may be at fault if the mongoose can get to them. Have you see a mongoose extract a koi from the pond? Usually the culprits are birds like egrets, heron. etc..

[PaulW]

The Ratzapper (available at e.g. Ace Hardware) will kill a mongoose humanely.

[Greg]

"Give a Mongoose a fish, and he will eat for a day.
Teach a mongoose to fish..............."

[8D]

[tonikim]

I have actually seen a mongoose walk up to the pond and without hesitation swipe a fish right out of the water and run back into these large boulders that are near the pond. Yes, I would say that the pond design is at fault. It slopes right down with easy access to any critter. Never thought a mongoose was my problem until I saw it with my own eyes.
Thank you everyone for your suggestions, I am off to get a trap or rat zapper today.

[Rob Tucker]

You are not dealing with one mongoose. They work in families/packs. I suggest that you buy a trap. I find that an old golf ball makes good mongoose bait (looks like an egg to them). I use an air pellet gun which seems quickest and most humane but drowning works too.

It has been my experience that after wiping out a raft of mongoose I will be free of them for a couple weeks and then a new group moves in. So I just keep the trap baited all the time.

[DTisme]

Greg, you made me laugh out loud.

Rob, "looks like an egg" ... stupid mongooses.

[missydog1]

quote:

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Originally posted by tonikim

I have actually seen a mongoose walk up to the pond and without hesitation swipe a fish right out of the water and run back into these large boulders that are near the pond. Yes, I would say that the pond design is at fault. It slopes right down with easy access to any critter. Never thought a mongoose was my problem until I saw it with my own eyes.

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Thanks for replying! I wonder why I am so lucky as to have choke mongoose but nothing troubles my fish. Lack of slope I guess, like you said.

My ponds (3 or 4 in different houses) have all been straight into the water and just under three feet deep. There is no way for a mongoose or cat to reach into the water without ending up IN the water. Also, If anything comes near the fish just do a dive. Unless it's the koi feeder. []