poo in my garden

[veesmummy]

Hi I'm new to this so please bear with me I can be a bit thick at times.

I'm probably going over old ground,I found this site trying to find out what hedgehog poo looks like and the poo in my garden doesn't look like any of the photos I've seen on here,the poo in my garden is black, slightly hardened and twisted! Can anyone give me any ideas.

They would be much appreciated.
Many Thanks.

[treecreeper]

Welcome to WAB Veesmummy .

I think owl pellets can be twisted...but I'm guessing. Any chance of posting a photo?

[healfdan]

A photo would be good but failing this we need to know the size of the faeces you have found, length, thickness, what it contains such as hair, seeds, insect remains; this can be acheived by placing it in a drop of warm water. Also helpful to know where it was deposited (lawn, tree stump etc.)

Healfdan

[turkeyneck]

Welcome to WAB veesmummy.
Can't help you with the poo I'm afraid. If it was in my garden though, it'd definitely be Jack Russell.

[veesmummy]

Hi Guys
Thanks very much for the replies,unfortunately you're talking to someone here with absolutely (well almost) no computer skills so I can't do a photo but I will try to explain as best as I can.
Upon much closer inspection the poo is not twisted as in like a rope but more wiggly and squashed up a bit like a worm hole in the lawn, I soaked it in some warm water and it softened slightly,so I broke it up there's not much that I can see inside only what looks like the spiky furry bits you get on some soft fruits (like strawberries or gooseberries) but longer or like tiny stamens from flowers they are about a quarter of an inch long, the poo itself is about an eight of an inch in diameter and I'm guessing at about an inch or inch and a half long if it was stretched out, very dark brown in colour.
I hope this helps, have I got a weird and wonderful visitor??

Many Thanks.

[veesmummy]

I forgot to say that the first one I found was on my patio table and the second was on the parasol base under the table a couple of days later

[healfdan]

Hello again

I rekon your mystery object is a bird dropping. Birds regurgitate pellets (a possibilty) but these usually have a few identifiable objects in them, where as droppings, if formed may only show a few plant or insect remains. The question now is what type of birds visit your garden?

Healfdan

[animartco]

hi Veesmummy. I sympathise wth the problem with photos. got it myself. I don't think it is a bird dropping because that shouldn't contain hairs. A pellet would but I can't think that it would be soft and long. All I can think of is a rat with piles or perhaps a bat.

[veesmummy]

Hi healfdan,

In answer to your question,we don't have that many, there are a few finches flying around, tits, I've had pigeons, crows and magpies trying to nest in the oak tree (unsuccessfully I think) swallows up above,sparrows,starlings and robins that I can remember,I did think it was a bird dropping but that doesn't account for the one under my patio table that was actually stuck to the base of the parasol as the holes in the table are not big enough for it to fall through.

In answer to animartco's suggestion I also thought it might be a rat as I have decking where the poo was found and that would also account for it being on top of the patio table,but I think its definitely too big for a rat as its not a pellet but more of a squeezed out poo,which is why I thought it was a hedgehog,but how can a hedgehog climb 2 feet up a chair climb onto a table just to do a poo.

Bless you turkeyneck don't have a dog but there is a rotty next door,do you think he could have shot it that far??

Thanks peoples I don't know if we'll solve this one, but its great fun and very enlightening talking to you all. xx

[Jez]

Hedge Hog are good climbers so I wouldn't rule it being hedgehog scat out. Could be rats, best keep on eye out in the garden at night if you hear a grunting noise that will be hedge hog! All the best with getting to the bottom (pun not intended) of what's visiting your abode!