"Bob Hobden" wrote in message
...
"LitteJ" wrote


Hi I am new to this site so bear with me.

I live in Dudley, UK. It's a fairly urban area. Back garden is on a
severe decline. Grass at the bottom bordered by conifers. Tiers at
intervals on the way down containing various different fillers eg grass,
shrubs, rockery.

We have recently (past few months) been replanting some of the tiers. In
the past 2 weeks we have noticed black tarry droppings on the steps, on
the retaining walls + on the rockery. They are smaller than a 10p,
liquidy (not dry)+have white or green around or in. I have pics but it
says not to post them on here + I don't have my own website. Will send
them to people if required. They do not look like rat droppings.

There are also larger droppings, dark, formed + about the size of 2 10p
pieces on the deck + grass at bottom of garden. We have a cat but they
do not look like cat faeces. They are not buried + appear to contain
plant matter. People are suggesting foxes? Could they both be from the
same animal?

The reason I am asking is because since the droppings started appearing
our plants have started to be dug up. Our beautiful rockery has been
destryoyed. Holes have appeared around the roots + whole plants have
been dug up + strewn across the whole garden! There are also holes
(about 2-3 inches in diameter) in the bottom lawn + runs between the
two. Is this rats?

Sorry for the long post but we are amateur gardeners hoping for help
with the droppings + holes. Would like to get the problem sorted!


You are using the web site Gardenbanter to get to this Usenet Newsgroup.
Now whilst this is a non binary Newsgroup and we cannot therefor see an
attached photo you can post it to Gardenbanter, they have the facility,
and show a link here.
The smaller faeces sound like pigeons that have been eating things like
elderberry.
The larger faeces and the digging up of everything sounds like foxes to
me, probably young ones, they are very destructive when playing.
Pictures would help...

I think you have it spot on, Bob. White in droppings (around it) is
always a bird, it's their urine content.
The garden damage points to young foxes. They are normally born around
March, so are now around 5 months old and starting to make a nuisance of
themselves.