R.I.P. Mysterious Pooper!!

[Andora]

For about a month there's been mysterious poop all around my chicken pens. I couldn't figure out what it was! Similar to cat, but smaller and definitely not cat.

Yesterday we went out of town and left the dogs outside. We have a foxhound and a black lab mix. They are trained not to hurt the birds, I leave them out there alone loose together all the time.

When we got home it was midnight, and I usually don't leave the dogs outside that late. They usually come in at dusk to eat and go to bed.

This morning when I was collecting eggs I saw something odd out of the corner of my eye. Up against the outside of the chicken pen I found this:

Its belly is ripped out. I'm surprised the dogs didn't eat it. It also had a piece of poop hanging out, obviously it died in terror which makes me a little sad...but that confirms what the mysterious pooper was!

Everyone keeps commenting, "EW YOU TOUCHED IT!" but...how else was I going to bag it up and get rid of it?

 

[hudsonhousechicks]

EEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKKK!!!!!!!!!!!
I like your photo

 

[Debbi]

Ahh, the infamous possum, good dogs! I hate those things, any found here at night, WILL be found here in the morning! I agree with the EWWWW factor! Have you never heard of gloves??? Or a shovel?? Luckily, possums rarely get rabies, but had that been a coon, fox, or skunk, your chances of getting rabies by touching it are pretty good. If they have slobber or any bodily liquid on them, your skin can absorb it. I'd be waaaay more careful in the future!

 

[Andora]

My DH just broke our shovel by accident when digging out fence posts last weekend and we didn't get another one yet. I just touched the tip of his tail and then washed my hands, I don't have any open wounds or anything.

Bonus: You should have heard my DH scream, "OMG don't get any closer!!"

 

[WillieBoy]

You Go Girl..! lol...Nice pic,those little buggers sure are smelly too...! Sounds like you have a couple good dogs, get rid of vamine, and trusted to mingle with your chickens..

 

[chkn]

Every once in awhile we find a dead young one around. It's nice to have varmint control.

 

[Karrie13]

Quote:
Only if it is fresh saliva or brain matter... the rabies virus dies within a few seconds after contact with the air. At least that is what the Dep of Health and also the State Vet told me. We had a dog that was attacked by a rabid skunk at 3:00 in the morning back in May.

 

[Lbrad7]

Those dogs deserve a treat!!!!

 

[Stonerowfarm]

Quote:
Only if it is fresh saliva or brain matter... the rabies virus dies within a few seconds after contact with the air. At least that is what the Dep of Health and also the State Vet told me. We had a dog that was attacked by a rabid skunk at 3:00 in the morning back in May.

I think everyone should get together on this. I was told that rabies survives much longer than a few seconds actually up to two days. Don't know if Mass Wildlife was just being cautious or not, but I try to err on the side of caution.

 

[theFox]

Quote:
Only if it is fresh saliva or brain matter... the rabies virus dies within a few seconds after contact with the air. At least that is what the Dep of Health and also the State Vet told me. We had a dog that was attacked by a rabid skunk at 3:00 in the morning back in May.

I think everyone should get together on this. I was told that rabies survives much longer than a few seconds actually up to two days. Don't know if Mass Wildlife was just being cautious or not, but I try to err on the side of caution.

Contact with air is far different than being in the fluids and being transfered to any part of your body that could result in contact with your nose, eyes, mouth, or open sores, cuts, scratches or wounds.