Unwelcome visitor

[val douest]

Just had a nasty surprise when I went to make up the beds in our guest cottage for the first time this Spring.  The beds had last been used in January and afterwards I stripped them, folded the blankets, threw over the quilts and covers, and then covered the lot with plastic sheeting which is there to protect the beds from the odd bird which finds its way into the building and can't get out easily.

Under the quilt in the first bed was a food store, mostly empty acorn shells and a few droppings which could have been mice.  Right under all the covers on the other bed was a nest, made of shredded pillow casing and assorted fibres, which I would have said was also mice except for the presence of large very un-mouse like droppings.  Looking on the internet, they look like red squirrel droppings - certainly not mouse or rat droppings and not elongated enough for fouine.  We have plenty of red squirrels round and about but it doesn't seem like a very squirrel-like place to nest.

Whatever our visitor was, its debris was not at all pleasant.  Fortunately the mattesses were encased in very heavy duty detachable covers, one of which will have to be disposed of, but the mattresses themselves are undamaged.  One pillow and a blanket will also have to be thrown out.  I am just so glad I went to make up the beds a few days in advance so we can at least sort out what needs to be replaced.

Has anyone else had a similar experience? Or maybe you can suggest what animal it might have been.  We still have no idea how it got in though I am sure there are small holes high up in the roof lining which can't be seen from below.  Any info welcome!

Val

[Anton Redman]

If they were fouine the smell is incrediable. Ounce for ounce the most maloderous substance I have ever smelt. American friends say it is worse than skunk.

[splishsplash]

There are many methods you can employ to remove unwanted Stone Martens but the kindest

and simplest way to deter or evict these beautiful creatures is to spread a

liberal quantity of good old fashioned mothballs in the area that they have

inhabited, the poor old Fouine can't stand the smell and will often move out

straight away.

French for the Stone Marten

In France the Stone Marten

is known as La fouine - which translates as the long pitchfork

[sharkhunter]

Dormouse ??

[Kitty]

When I lived in a rented cottage a few years ago, I went away for 3 days .  On arriving back and retiring to bed, I found a large mouse's nest in my nightie under the duvet.  Three days was all it took for the mouse in question to snuggle into my bed, gnaw through the cotton and deposit bits of hay, chewed paper and droppings.

The saddest thing for me was it was in fact New Year's Eve and so not a great thing to welcome in a New Year.  We never found/saw/heard the mouse again - I moved our dog into the cottage and no doubt it took fright.

 

[woolybanana]

Unwelcome boyfriends leave terrible traces. But bringing in a real dog instead......[6]