Muskrats spend roughly half of their time in water, so they use tunnels at the water-level to partially submerge their home underground.

If you see multiple mounds, it’s a major sign you’ve got a larger muskrat population on your hands.

Muskrats flee from people naturally. The only way one would attack you is if you corner and threaten them. It’s very rare for a muskrat to have rabies, so you don’t need to worry about that. [5] X Research source If the muskrats aren’t bothering you, know that it’s good they’re around! They spread plant seeds, trim overgrowth, and provide an important food source for predators. [6] X Research source

If you’re laying it for the first time, buy a large roll and line the 5–10 feet (1. 5–3. 0 m) surrounding the water. Weigh it down with decorative rocks and you’re done! Cut the mesh liner to size using tin snips or strong scissors. Muskrats will easily chew through traditional landscape fabric and fabric liners.

Make sure that the stones extend into the water for the most efficient solution.

The muskrats won’t be able to adequately burrow in and out of the pond.

Muskrats aren’t particularly adept at digging, even if they do seem to enjoy doing it. It takes a while for them to dig out their tunnel systems, so they’ll give up if you’re persistent.

This is ideal for small, decorative ponds. It can be hard to keep netting from bundling up over time if the pond is big enough to swim in. There is a potential risk that muskrats (or other animals) get caught up in the netting and hurt themselves, so don’t leave the pond unattended for multiple days in a row.

This may be easy if the muskrats have infested a manmade pond where you can easily drain it or add water.

Muskrats can chew wood. It’s probably unlikely that a muskrat would bite through a decorative wood fence, but it could happen. Go with metal, if you can.

There is no evidence that natural DIY solutions like cayenne pepper, fox urine, or garlic will keep muskrats away.

Muskrats really will eat almost anything. If you notice they’re gnawing on a particular plant in the area, digging it out and discarding it may give muskrats the motivation they need to go elsewhere.

Muskrats are nocturnal, so check the trap every morning to see if you’ve caught anything. You can do this on your own, but you’re likely better off hiring a pro to do this. Live trapping is a bit of a tall order for the average person. Muskrats breed very quickly, and there may be up to 15 pups living with the adult you capture. You may just end up with more adult muskrats soon, or the litter may perish without their parent.

Incinerate or bury each carcass and continue resetting the trap until the muskrats are no longer a problem. If you don’t want to kill the muskrats yourself, contact a local trapper or fur company. They may come catch or kill the muskrats for you.