Bandicoots eat garden pests like grubs and beetles that cause dieback on a lawn but they also leave snout-shaped holes.
Deterring bandicoots
Bandicoots are protected in NSW, and it is illegal to trap or kill them without a licence. There are a couple of things you can try to deter them:
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Remove their food source: Bandicoots eat insects, earthworms, insect larvae and spiders, and also feed on plant tubers, roots and truffle-like fungi to supplement their diet. They will move away once the food source is depleted.
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Floodlight the area: Bandicoots dislike light and will avoid well-lit areas.
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Add chicken manure or Dynamic Lifter to the lawn: Bandicoots don't like strong ammonia smells.
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Build bandicoot-proof fencing: Use fine galvanised wire mesh, or any other material with gaps no larger than 20 mm. The foot of the mesh should be buried to a depth of at least 150 mm, and the fence should rise at least 500 mm above the ground.
Living with bandicoots
You can live in harmony with bandicoots by accommodating them in purpose-designed areas. You can establish a separate area in the garden, away from the places that are used most by your family and pets, which provides native birds and animals with shelter and food. You can then use a more formal, manicured area for entertaining and relaxing
You can contribute to the conservation of bandicoots and other native species by keeping your pets locked up at night, and by not allowing your pets to enter national parks at any time. The scent left by cats and dogs in bushland areas may discourage native animals from going about their natural activities.