Hi all.

A couple of weeks ago there was a hole/tunnel in my vegetable garden about 1 inch in diameter. I drowned it and filled it in right away. My beds are raised and filled with wonderful store bought dirt. I can dig a hole with my hand - the dirt is so soft. What do you think could have made a hole like that? We have snakes and crevice lizzards and giant centipedes. I've seen holes like that before and people said they were snake holes. I also used to live in snake country and when I would dig in my vegetable garden I would often see the tail end of a snake wiggling away under the ground about 6-10 inches down. I've read that snake holes are a myth and that they only take advantage of existing holes. So, question # 1 is what do you think belonged to that hole?

Then, yesterday, I was staring out the window watching it rain when I saw the back side of a critter climb up my retaining wall and take shelter under my flowers. He moved around in there quite a bit because I could see the flowers jiggling here and there. At first I thought it was a really big rat, then decided it must be a possum. But, his little back side was cuter than any possum I've seen. I've been googling around and I think he looked just like this:

http://k43.pbase.com/u39/tmurray74/large/25349705.DSC00017.jpg

Anybody in Central Texas west of Austin ever had to deal with meadow voles? There is a lot of grassy, cedar infested, undeveloped land around my house and we are a 5 minute walk from the lake. Just the sort of thing they like. But, I haven't found through googling if they really do live in this area.

I don't think I can take another critter to deal with, lol.