Water tubes shredded. Animal damage or defective tubes?

[PoolGato]

A couple of weeks after I filled new tubes, half of them were shredded. All of the shredded ones were on the same side of the pool. The weather's been mild. Should I blame the manufacturer or would some kind of animal do this?

 

[Bperry]

A couple of weeks after I filled new tubes, half of them were shredded. All of the shredded ones were on the same side of the pool. The weather's been mild. Should I blame the manufacturer or would some kind of animal do this?

View attachment 535782View attachment 535783

Always possible an animal could do it, or bbgun/airsoft pellets from kids. See any small plastic pellets the size of a pea laying around? The second picture makes it look like something small went through one side and out the other.

 

[PoolGato]

Always possible an animal could do it, or bbgun/airsoft pellets from kids. See any small plastic pellets the size of a pea laying around? The second picture makes it look like something small went through one side and out the other.

Nope, no kids around our backyard. It was actually shredded, with pieces scattered nearby.

 

[ajw22]

It was actually shredded, with pieces scattered nearby.

Sounds like an animal clawing at it. Any manufacturer defect would not scatter pieces around.

I recently had a ground hog burrow under a retaining wall and claw through thick irrigation control wire that was where he dug. A pest control specialist set traps by the hole, captured the ground hog, and relocated him a few miles away.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

Looks like animal damage. That doesn’t look like a manufacturing defect at all. Very likely a small animal looking for water.

 

[JoyfulNoise]

You can try dusting the area with a mixture of cinnamon and cayenne pepper. A lot of small animals like squirrels, voles, moles, mice, etc, are repelled by the mixture. If they learn that the area is not suitable for them, they will move on.

 

[JamesW]

Looks like animal damage.

Maybe a Wolverine, Honey Badger, Beaver, Racoon, Possum, Eagle, Mountain Lion etc.

Do you see any muddy footprints nearby?

Maybe install some surveillance cameras with motion detection, thermal imaging and night vision.

 

[JamesW]

Maybe get a fingerprint kit to dust for pawprints and then run the prints through an identification program to identify the type of animal and maybe the specific individual if their prints are on file.

https://www.amazon.com/Crime-Scene-CSI-LatFingerPrintKit-Biochromatic/dp/B004NNB3VK/

 

[PoolGato]

Sounds like an animal clawing at it. Any manufacturer defect would not scatter pieces around.

I recently had a ground hog burrow under a retaining wall and claw through thick irrigation control wire that was where he dug. A pest control specialist set traps by the hole, captured the ground hog, and relocated him a few miles away.

I'm starting to suspect one of the neighbor's many cats. The solution, I think, would be to wrap the tarp over the tubes, like a burrito, assuming there's enough extra tarp. That would also block UV damage. Maybe. It's all a big maybe.

 

[Bperry]

I'm starting to suspect one of the neighbor's many cats. The solution, I think, would be to wrap the tarp over the tubes, like a burrito, assuming there's enough extra tarp. That would also block UV damage. Maybe. It's all a big maybe.

They sell hard plastic water “tubs” that I use. Those have other issues too.

But if I knew we were voting on animals, I’d say put me down for honey badger.