Help needed-what's under my shed ?

[aambeck]

Hi everyone, I live in north east scotland and have something living in/ under my old shed. It has borrowed it's way up through the floor inside the shed and left a large amount of earth inside and all around the outside of the shed there are little tunnels were it must come and go. I've never seen it but the scats are similar to longish cigarette ash ? someone suggested a mink but I think the holes are too small, can anyone help identify it ? Ps We are nowhere near water. Cheers aambeck

[Dorts]

Apart from your description of its droppings, it is very typical behavour of Rats, "borrowed it's way up through the floor inside the shed and left a large amount of earth inside". Rat droppings are like a date-stone but about half the size and uniformly dark-brown in colour.
Dorts.

[aambeck]

Sorry, I mean burrowed it's way through the floor, or enlarged an already existing hole, I think it has gnawed through some of the wood too. Would a rat move a bucket load of earth ? The tunnel entrances are about 3-4 " wide, the bird table is right beside it and the birds are unperturbed by " it "

[Dorts]

Originally Posted by aambeck

Would a rat move a bucket load of earth ?

They most certainly would, and more!
Dorts.

[Littlesparrow]

Put a piece of toast out at dusk and watch behind some cover. have you got a photo of the dropping next to a coin or something for size? it does sound like rat behavior.

[aambeck]

I'll put some toast out tonight and try and see it, and try to get a photo of the droppings.

[aambeck]

I put some toast out last night and kept my eye on it for as long as I could, the only thing that went near it was a small slug. This morning the toast was still untouched but, after lunch a quarter of the toast had gone and I moved it to a more visible area, shortly afterwards it had disappeared,gone.
The tunnel entrances had been covered over too. We have seen 2 squirrels in the garden, do squirrels burrow ?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by aambeck

We have seen 2 squirrels in the garden, do squirrels burrow ?

No, sounds like rats.

[Littlesparrow]

Its not a squirrel under your shed although they might have nicked the toasts. I'm sure you will catch sight of the shed beasty soon.

[shenk1]

From personal experience.....Rats.