Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?
--
Babs

"Babs" ] wrote in message
...
Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?
--
Babs

First guess would be Hedgehog poo, and it shouldn't cause any problem on a
compost heap at all.
Chris S

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:21:44 +0100, Babs ] wrote:

Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Who knows? It could be your next door neighbour!

In article , ] says...
Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Probably hedgehog. It sounds just like the dung produced by our
hedge hog, which seems to have just woken up. We put our grass
cuttings on the compost with no ill effect.

Gill M

On Tue, 27 Mar 2007 23:21:44 +0100, Babs ] wrote:

Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

I associate black faeces with badgers, but the ones you describe sound
too small. I'd go along with Chris S's suggestion of hedgehog. I think
colour is more an indication of what the animal is eating, rather than
what it is. I imagine that badgers and hedgehogs have similar diets
but on a different scale. They'd probably be OK in the compost heap,
but I remove all faeces from our grass before mowing, simply because
cleaning the mower afterwards is not very nice if it's got crap
splattered all over the underside.


--
Chris

E-mail: christopher[dot]hogg[at]virgin[dot]net

On 28 Mar, 18:01, Gill Matthews Try the wrote:
In article , ] says... Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Probably hedgehog. It sounds just like the dung produced by our
hedge hog, which seems to have just woken up. We put our grass
cuttings on the compost with no ill effect.

Gill M

Had you asked this in the autumn then I would have said Foxes, after
eating blackberries.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

In message . com, Dave
Hill writes
On 28 Mar, 18:01, Gill Matthews Try the wrote:
In article , ]
says... Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces
on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Probably hedgehog. It sounds just like the dung produced by our
hedge hog, which seems to have just woken up. We put our grass
cuttings on the compost with no ill effect.

Gill M

Had you asked this in the autumn then I would have said Foxes, after
eating blackberries.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Thanks for the replies; there was so much on the lawn this morning that
I will clear it up because I don't want to walk in it. I think Mr
Hedgehog thinks he has found a good route to somewhere and has
recommended it to all his friends!

--
Babs

Following up to Babs ] :

In message . com, Dave
Hill writes
On 28 Mar, 18:01, Gill Matthews Try the wrote:
In article , ]
says... Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces
on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Probably hedgehog. It sounds just like the dung produced by our
hedge hog, which seems to have just woken up. We put our grass
cuttings on the compost with no ill effect.

Gill M

Had you asked this in the autumn then I would have said Foxes, after
eating blackberries.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Thanks for the replies; there was so much on the lawn this morning that
I will clear it up because I don't want to walk in it. I think Mr
Hedgehog thinks he has found a good route to somewhere and has
recommended it to all his friends!


Wait for one to dry up a bit, then break it open carefully with a stick.
You should be able to see recognisable bits of black shiny beetle carapace
and other insect (etc) parts.
--
Tim C.

On 29/3/07 12:42, in article , "Babs"
] wrote:

In message . com, Dave
Hill writes
On 28 Mar, 18:01, Gill Matthews Try the wrote:
In article , ]
says... Can anyone please tell me what creature leaves black faeces
on our lawn?
The stools are about 4cm long x 1cm diameter, sometimes quite dry
sometimes resembling thick tar. We haven't removed the faeces before
mowing the lawn so would the grass cutting be OK on the compost heap?

Probably hedgehog. It sounds just like the dung produced by our
hedge hog, which seems to have just woken up. We put our grass
cuttings on the compost with no ill effect.

Gill M

Had you asked this in the autumn then I would have said Foxes, after
eating blackberries.
David Hill
Abacus Nurseries

Thanks for the replies; there was so much on the lawn this morning that
I will clear it up because I don't want to walk in it. I think Mr
Hedgehog thinks he has found a good route to somewhere and has
recommended it to all his friends!

Hedgehogs are having a hard time of it because they've woken up early and
their usual food sources are scarce. You might like to put some food out
for them and I found this recommendation:
€ Tinned cat or dog food, We have found they prefer Chicken & Liver
flavours best but also like Lamb and Beef flavours. Try Kitten or Puppy food
for Young Hoglets. Try to avoid cat foods in gravy, many hedgehogs get
diarrhoea with them.
€ Cat Biscuits, They seem to like Iams, Royal Canin, Hills, or other
Premium biscuits and prefer the ³Kitten² & "Sensible" varieties, along with
the ³Hair and Skin² which is higher in fibre and contains more oils. Only
give meat flavoured biscuits, Fish flavours are not liked as fish is not a
part of their natural diet.
€ Spike¹s Dinner hedgehog food either tinned or dry available from
good pet shops or Direct from Spikes World who also have other quality
hedgehog foods in their online store
€ Any Raw or Cooked meat leftovers, Raw or cooked Chicken. Raw mince,
either Beef or Lamb. Chop all meat in very small pieces. Hedgehogs only have
tiny teeth and cannot chew or tear big pieces.
€ Chopped Peanuts, Sultanas & Raisins
€
€ Goats Milk or Whiskas/ Felix Cat Milk (Do not give Cows Milk it
causes diarrhoea)
€ Mealworms make a tasty snack but some hedgehogs can get hooked on
them and that can work out expensive
€ Many hedgehogs like a treat of an occasional small piece of cheese,
finely chopped
€ Lots of Water, especially in hot weather, Hedgehogs drink a lot of
water

--
Sacha
http://www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon
http://www.discoverdartmoor.co.uk/
(remove weeds from address)