# Mystery Scat?



## Hoopy Frood (Mar 2, 2018)

Is anyone able to identify this poo pile?







They are tubular turds, about 1 inch to 1 1/2 inches in length, about 3/8 inch in diameter. We have all kinds of critters running around this place, but this is the first time I've seen something like this.

I may be wrong of course, but I don't think it's porcupine, raccoon, or skunk, which we have a LOT of.

Any guesses?


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## Oregon1986 (Apr 25, 2017)

Those are some weird shaped turds! Is there any hair in them?


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

What's that green stuff on top that looks like Easter grass?


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Not raccoon.


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## Forcast (Apr 15, 2014)

Opossum


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## Hoopy Frood (Mar 2, 2018)

Sorry for the delay, I've been slammed the past couple days... I've heard from several people that they are, in fact, porcupine. Further the black-jellybean-like ones I'm used to seeing were from younger porcupines, these are from older porcupines.

We do have a lot porcupines here... I'm surprised I haven't seen more of this. I'll keep my eyes peeled.



Oregon1986 said:


> Those are some weird shaped turds! Is there any hair in them?


Nope, think there are wood fibers, though.



light rain said:


> What's that green stuff on top that looks like Easter grass?


Lichen. Probably blew off a nearby burn pile.



Forcast said:


> Opossum


I don't think opossum range far north of the southern border of Maine. I have not heard a report of one in my region and there are chicken keepers/farmers EVERYWHERE. When flocks get hit news spreads pretty fast.

Thanks for the thoughts, everyone!!


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

Porcupine! I had a porcupine take up residence in my woodshed for the winter 2 years ago. He left lots of this scat. The worst part is he peed all over some of my firewood. It stunk so badly I couldn't bring it in the house to burn it. I moved it outside the shed and it was OK after sitting out in the rain all summer.


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## fishhead (Jul 19, 2006)

Porcupine droppings are larger than deer droppings. Those look like some kind of grouse, possibly spruce grouse or maybe ruffed grouse but all of the ruffed grouse dropping that I have see have a white end tip. If you break them apart and they have small twigs it's a spruce grouse. Ruffed grouse dropping are made from finer material.

Spruce grouse droppings
http://www.duluthnewstribune.com/news/4384229-volunteers-needed-count-spruce-grouse-poop

Ruffed grouse droppings
https://natureofthehills.wordpress.com/tag/ruffed-grouse/


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