Mysterious Shit

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Was up by the river today, giving the Dogs their daily run out and checking my permenant mink cage. Then, on the track right where the river passed under, they pointed out some shit to me. In fact, it's in just about the exact spot where I found mink shit last year.

 

Strange again though; This seemed very dry and quite old to me. Yet we're up there every day and I always make a point of glancing around for fresh shit. Niether I nor the Dogs found it yesterday.

 

Even more frustrating; Le Ding went straight down into the river and started casting about. He even stuck his nose right up into the entrence of my cage! Again, he's never done that before. Even when I've just rebaited it the day before.

 

So; Something's been there. And what ever it was seems to have gone down into the river bed and possibly even inspected my cage, yet without going in there - or getting caught if it did. I'll closely inspect and reset that cage shortly.

 

Anyway, here it is. Size a huge ferret might have managed. Too small for a terrier though. But never mind that; What on earth's that stuff in the bit to the left? Looks like bloody hedgehog spines!

 

 

 

Strange Shit

 

 

 

Very Strange Shit!

 

 

 

Le Ding Knows Something .....

 

 

 

But What?

[richie 1]

couldnt tell you, but whatever or whoever laid it must have a sore arse !!!

[Rolfe 2]

Ditch.......if it has fish bones in it which it looks like, and if you're brave enough to smell it it will smell like jasmine tea....quite pleasant in fact.............it may be otter spraint.

Edited March 7, 2008 by john b
to remove repeated pics and sort quotes out

[stubby 175]

couldnt tell you, but whatever or whoever laid it must have a sore arse !!!

 

@richie

[talpa 55]

DS, did you give it a sniff yourself. If sweet and musky it may be an Otter if the shit was in a place you'd expext Mink.

With warm weather recently an opportunistic Otter may have come across a drowsy Hedgehog and made a meal of it.

The other options for you are Pine Martin and Badger.

Boar Badgers are often turned out of Setts this time of year when young are born hence increase in roadkills around now, and when vagrant they will not use latrines as they are not marking territory.

Pine Martins I have no experience of but would I'm sure take a dopey weak and sleepy 'hog.By the same thought a Mink would do the same but size would make it a big Dog, did you say close to your trap???? hold yourself together man, you may get him in there!!.

Talpa

[RatSnatcher 0]

Could it of been one of your floaters from last night Ditch

[zap 4]

couldnt tell you, but whatever or whoever laid it must have a sore arse !!!

[john b 38]

My money is on a marten or mink, depending on the size. According to the Collins guide to animal tracks and signs:

 

Marten

"They are normally sausage-shaped, 8-10cm long and 1.2 cm across and usually twisted and drawn out to a point. They contain fur, feathers, bonesplinters.....

They are usually deposited on an elevation such as a rock, tree stump, fallen tree"

 

Polecat & Mink

"have the usual marten shape, sausage-shaped, 6-8 long and 0.9 cm across and usually twisted and drawn out to a point. They contain fur, feathers, bonesplinters.....

deposited very inconspicuously"

 

Otter

"contain fish scales and bones ....

Most frequently found - often in small portions - on elevated places along the river bank.

[zap 4]

hey john you really been looking up your shit man but going by that i say marten

[ianrob 2]

But What?

 

Hey Ditch, you know the woman who walks her dog along the road over the bridge, the one you don't like. No I'm not saying she did it.

A fox could have laid it on a moudie heap beside the bridge, and she kicked it over the bridge to stop her dogs from rolling in it. Looks like a Charlie one to me.

Edited March 7, 2008 by john b
removal of repeated pics

[swanseajack 227]

Owl pellet

 

Dry, appeared overnight, dissect it, bet you find some rodent bones in it....

 

perhaps I shouldn't bet, I keep losing... let us know Ditch...

[Guest Ditch_Shitter]

Mink! I had a sniff :sick: FishAyyy!

 

I intend to examine it more closely later ~ I'be brought it home ~ only I'm too busy just now.

[Rolfe 2]

Mink! I had a sniff :sick: FishAyyy!

 

I intend to examine it more closely later ~ I'be brought it home ~ only I'm too busy just now.

If it stinks to high heaven Ditch then it's a mink scat.............otter spraint has a quite pleasant odour.

 

Rolfe.

[ianrob 2]

Mink! I had a sniff :sick: FishAyyy!

 

I intend to examine it more closely later ~ I'be brought it home ~ only I'm too busy just now.

See if it tastes of salmon Ditch , it could be a grey seal. We had one near us, it used to come up the river every day attacking salmon and seatrout shoals. I remember someone saying while watching it, " I hope that bast*rds next shite is a hedgehog" Up until then, I never knew that they ate hedgehogs , but you live and learn. It lived quite happily for a few months ravaging the local fish stocks, and I assume, hedgehog population, until someone "put it out of it's misery" That'll be the culprit yes indeedy

[BULL 81]

thats the trouble with thl forum its not long befor someone starts talking a lot of shit :D