Fox Poo question?

werdnal · #1 (**permalink**) 26-10-2008, 10:14 PM

Found poo in our garden yesterday (sorry chucked it on the bonfire without taking a photo). I'm 90% sure it was fox - similar size to what a cat would do, but very black, with bits of beetle casing and the odd seed in it. But my hubby is not convinced as there was absolutely no smell with it. He's a groundsman and often comes across fox poo where he works, and says it usually stinks, but this was completely odourless.

Could it be a fox? It was very close to the house, and I'm surprised one would have come that near, although also near our pigeon shed, which might have attracted it. If not, is there anything else that would produce similar droppings without any smell?

Phoebe · #2 (**permalink**) 26-10-2008, 10:32 PM

Fox poo usually does have a strong odour, my dog used to roll in it

and it took weeks to bathe it from his coat. I cannot think of anything else it could be.

Kayleigh · #3 (**permalink**) 26-10-2008, 10:38 PM

Sounds like a crow/corvid has regurgitated it, with seeds and beetle cases..

werdnal · #4 (**permalink**) 26-10-2008, 10:49 PM

Thanks for replies.

We do get a lot of jackdaws, but we are pretty crow free. I would assume a crow pellet would look similar to an owl pellet, which I have found before, and tend to look drier with a lot more hair and fur. This definately looked more "faecal" like. I've googled images of Fox poo and it does look very similar. Just can't understand the lack of smell. Is it more pungent in older animals or at certain times of the year? We often get juvenille foxes in the area this time of year.

Words · #5 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 12:35 AM

This may be an odd question, but did you break it open or leave it intact? If you left it intact and it had been there a few hours I wouldn't expect too much odour.

Hedge Witch · #6 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 07:30 AM

Corvid pellets usually contain stones and plant material - you can probably confirm or eliminate on this basis.

I imagine smell would depend on how fresh it was, and also diet. Beetles and seeds might not be as smelly ? (pure guesswork).

Dogghound · #7 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 08:49 AM

Sounds more like a hedgehog to me, they can produce quite large droppings from time to time. I suggest you have a thorough check of your bonfire before you set it on fire.

blueboar · #8 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 08:52 AM

Fox poo always has a curl at the thinnest end of the dropping, it is not uncommon for fox poo to have beetle shells and blackberries in them as there is not the normal amount of food about.

Are you talking about town foexes or countryside ones.

bb

handyman · #9 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 03:01 PM

Not all fox oeoeoeoe contains the strong odours, the non-smelly ones being the ones you tread in! I would be surprised at a hedgehog passing a stool of that size, unless they were about two foot at the shoulder.

As an aside, according to my sister-in-law, the best stuff to remove the fox poo out of the dog's hair is .... tomato ketchup!

Never tried it myself, but then I do not roll around in fox oeoeoeoe or have much hair now, either.

Handyman

just-tracey · #10 (**permalink**) 27-10-2008, 05:19 PM

Hi, can you tell me if fox poo has a strong smell of amonia?

My dog has been rolling in something that is highly offensive.. but only when he's in the garden on his own.. so i have never seen where he rolls.
The only way i can describe the smell is that of amonia and a friend said today it was probably fox poo.. and that ketchup takes the smell away.

I bath him as soon as he gets in stinking the place out.. but haven't been able to catch him in the act.
We live in a rural position, with about 12 houses in our Hamlet, and have never thought about foxes being in my garden.
But obviously they will be around the farms in the area