Which wild nocturnal animal has come to my garden?

[I Love Percy<3]

I would like to 'lure' some nocturnal animals to my garden to observe them from a distance at night as I love animals and think it's brilliant to see them in the wild. Last night I left out cat and dog food mixed together with some peanut butter mixed in the middle and sprinkled dry roasted peanuts on top. This morning I went out to see if anything had gone and I found that all the peanuts were missing and all the peanut butter had been licked out from in between the cat and dog food. This wouldn't just be snails would it? Because they were there on the food the night before, but I didn't have peanuts on top then and all the peanut butter was untouched. I thought it could be birds but there's what I think is a snuffle hole in the middle. There are lots of birds in my garden but they have plenty of food left out for them already and the hole could only be if the birds sat in the middle of the bowl but I don't think they would do that if the peanut butter they were trying to get was also in the middle of the bowl. I live in quite a empty cul-de-sac (with plenty of hedges and trees, log piles etc) in a city area of Northern Ireland. What animal could this be? Thanks

[dampflippers]

I think hedgehogs would have gone for the cat and dog food.

I wouldn't advise dry roast nuts or any sort of salted nuts- just plain uncooked ones as salt isn't good for them.

[artdemole]

Ratty' would like the aroma of cat/dog food.Could well have been to it.

[Burko]

I've learnt recently that peanut butter is bad for animals because it sticks to teeth and causes dental problems.

[thunder]

Originally Posted by Burko

I've learnt recently that peanut butter is bad for animals because it sticks to teeth and causes dental problems.

It would be valuable to know exactly where you learnt this.

henrya

[STYRBJORN]

Please dont be offended by this, or think I am trying to put you off - far from it. You say you want to "lure" animals into your garden. Do please bear in mind that you are trying to modify their natural behaviour. With hedgepigs or nocturnal rodents there is no problem, but you should be careful not to, say, teach a fox to rely on you for food. Occasional treats are fine but not a 24/7 cafe!
All the best with your project.

Ric

[werdnal]

Also, you must bear in mind you may attract the "wrong" type of nocturnal animals to your garden. We would all love to get the cute furries, but alongside them you may get rats.

A lot of members of this forum (including myself) feed birds, and we also get a lot of posts about rats. The 2 do go hand in hand, and whatever food you put out, especially if you do it on a regular basis, will be more than welcomed by ratty and his friends. I'm not saying don't feed, but think carefully whether you can live with the consequences. Rats will take up residence quite willingly if they find a reliable food source, and start breeding very readily.

[dampflippers]

I don't know how early you normally get up, but try getting up about half an hour before dawn and looking out of the window (you can go back to bed after). Foxes often do a round of their territory at that time, and hedgehogs may still be out in the half light.

Alternatively, go out last thing at night. No flood lights. Take a torch, but turn it off and just stand or sit quietly for a while and listen for movements.

During daytime, look for hedgehog poo or other animal signs, worn tracks under fences, sheds or hedges, small mammal holes, nibbled nut or seed shells etc.

[STYRBJORN]

[quote=dampflippers;762600]

Alternatively, go out last thing at night. No flood lights. Take a torch, but turn it off and just stand or sit quietly for a while and listen for movements.

Sellotape a piece of red cellophane over the lens. The stuff you get Dutch cheese wrapped in is as good as anything. Nocturnal animals will often ignore a red light, but run from a white one.

Ric