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mystery poop in the garden

L

LFNfan

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Joined
10 May 2022
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280
Location
London
Over the last couple of weeks we've had animal poop appearing in the garden, on the grass. I'm thinking probably a fox but that's basically just a guess to be honest. It might be a cat. Pretty sure it's not one of the neighbours anyway. Sometimes the poop is very soft but other times I can pick it up intact. The bluebottles like it.
So assuming it is a fox, would welcome thoughts on whether these 'ultrasonic fox deterrents' actually work, or if there are better / other approaches so I don't spend money on old rope.
Cheers
 
I don't have experience with foxes but I'd pass on the ultrasonic deterrents, they seem to be ineffective on squirrels and raccoons. Possibly possums as well. While they might hear it (if the product actually does emit ultrasonic noise), the animals learn that nothing of consequence happens.

There are motion activated sprinklers which look effective 🌊
 
Think @Disaronno has a point l would not pay to much for deterrents the Fox family are very clever. It's probably scenting it's territoryIs the poo tapered or has signs of fur on ,that's Fox poo. Some people would like Foxes about and feed and photo them but of course it's a problem if you have dogs or cats say and other pets or signs of digging in your lawn
 
Thanks v much. I will have a look ay the shape more closely just to confirm.

The main problem is my son treading in the poop when playing football and me or the missus having to clean his shoes...

Thanks again!
 
I would avoid the ultrasonic deterrents mainly as although adults can't hear them, it's been shown that many young children can, as well as every neighbourhood animal. It's designed to work by being a particularly unpleasant noise and for any animals or children in the vicinity they will be unable to escape it. Identifying the culprit is the best bet, as @Gill says, fox is usually jet black and has a very strong metallic odour. Cat smells like you'd imagine old cat food to smell! My dogs are connoisseurs of cat blahblahblahblah so I an ID the smell a mile off! Don't be misled by the fact that cats supposedly bury it either, in areas of high cat populations, their territorial nature will lead them to deposit it in the open. Our school playing field is littered with the stuff as there are a ridiculous number of cats around.
 
Tim1343 said:
Could well be hedgehogs
Click to expand...
@ian_m 's link was interesting. My garden specimen is dark, very similar to the hedgehog picture in that link, and not at all like the fox pic (no bits of fur, bones - at least as far as my cursory inspection in daylight hours yesterday). Would be brilliant if it was hedgehogs (happy childhood memories of feeding hedgehogs in the garden). I thought probably not because there is a fair bit of it. But maybe...

I have not got as far as wanting to smell the stuff, but either way I won't be spending any £ on the ultrasonic deterrents. Appreciate the comments, all.
 
These specimens I was carefully culturing, by emptying fish tank water over, have been scoffed this morning.
1697530702568.png

Along with this one.
1697530802967.png
 
Fox can be pretty nasty if it's infected with the Tapeworm "Echinococcus multilocularis" Cats, Dogs and Foxes can be the final hosts of this parasite but they don't really get sick from it. For us humans that's a different story and can be very nasty and or dangerous... That's why it is advised not to consume mushrooms from areas where the Fox hangs out and never pick wild berries or other fruit hanging lower than 3 feet from the ground. Foxes also spray from their anal glands onto vegetation to mark territory.

To ID fox poop depends on the diet, it's black if it was meat, red if it were cherries and purple/blue if it were blueberries. But a Fox always drops it on top of elevated spots such as a Molhill, Tussock, Hassock, Verandas etc. That's their way of showing I was here... :) Thus poop in a ditch or on flat ground it most likely wasn't a Fox.
 
1700733061062.png

Something left this over the weekend, whilst they were eating all my carefully grown lawn mushrooms....
 
ian_m said:
View attachment 213185
Something left this over the weekend, whilst they were eating all my carefully grown lawn mushrooms....
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The fox poop I've seen looks more like this, sometimes a little more log like sometimes not, than the wildlife link. I would guess they are showing rural foxes that have snacked on rabbit etc. rather than leftover takeaway. Dogs fed raw food have poop more like the white/dry stuff too. Fox poop smell is truely impressive and +1 on the dog rolling - they really love the stuff. I think badger poop can be similar too - although they are meant to be more fussy about where they leave it. We get both in the garden.

All over them seem to prefer long grass over short, and it moakes it easier to spot when walking. So if you mow your path, even if you leave the rest longer you are less likely to tread in any!
 
More from the phantom pooper of old london town. This is a few days old.

Also some pics of mushrooms in the lawn, now long gone..
 

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zozo said:
Fox can be pretty nasty if it's infected with the Tapeworm "Echinococcus multilocularis" Cats, Dogs and Foxes can be the final hosts of this parasite but they don't really get sick from it. For us humans that's a different story and can be very nasty and or dangerous...
Click to expand...
I have bought a 45L plastic box for my daphnia v2 experiment (green water, leaving outdoors) but this is putting me off...
 
zozo said:
Fox can be pretty nasty if it's infected with the Tapeworm "Echinococcus multilocularis" Cats, Dogs and Foxes can be the final hosts of this parasite but they don't really get sick from it. For us humans that's a different story and can be very nasty and or dangerous... That's why it is advised not to consume mushrooms from areas where the Fox hangs out and never pick wild berries or other fruit hanging lower than 3 feet from the ground. Foxes also spray from their anal glands onto vegetation to mark territory.
Click to expand...
Google suggests this might not be an issue in the UK. Although other worms are, which is why worming pets and washing hands is a good idea. Also worm kids cos they are gross 😝
 
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