Hollowed out rodents?

[presley]

My google searching isn't working. I've been getting hollowed out rodents in my yard. Yesterday, it was a the top half of a squirrel that had some bones, all its fur, hands and eyes and was hollowed out.

There is a crow that was putting carcasses in our backyard water bowl. We quit putting water out back for the dogs because of it. Don't fret, my dogs are inside most of the time and they have several waters inside. The crow would soak the carcasses for a while and then come back and eat them. I'm wondering if it is another crow thing, or if it could be that someone is using poison to get rid of rodents in their own yard and the animals are just dying over here.

I don't use any poisons because I have animals. I was thinking about getting a couple feral cats from the human society for rodent control, but if this sounds like poisoning, then I wouldn't get the cats because they would eat the rodents and also die.

Does anyone know what causes hollowed out rodents? We've had it happen to rats, gophers, squirrels and bunnies.

 

[Free2Roam]

Sounds like something from a horror movie

 

[DeniseM]

Rat poison doesn't do that kind of damage to the carcass - the most common rat poisons cause internal bleeding.

It's probably a crow, hawk, or other predator - they are eating the soft parts and leaving the less tasty bones, skin and fur behind.

 

[Talent312]

Could be either aliens or zombies.
Check out the mystery of the shaved cat...
http://www.edmontonsun.com/2015/07/15/mystery-surrounds-cat-shaving

 

[ronparise]

better dead than alive

 

[Passepartout]

Idle speculation here, but how about someone nearby using a poison containing Warfarin. It causes uncontrollable internal bleeding especially in capillaries. Like eyes. That might be enough to attract the crows (ravens) who (smart devils that they are) might try to rinse the poison out of the meat before they ingest it. Just a guess.

Jim

 

[theo]

I've got nothing to add or speculate here, except to note that it would not surprise me at all if some grunge / punk rock band somewhere learned of, liked and immediately adopted this OP thread title as a band name for themselves --- Hollowed Out Rodents. :ignore:

 

[puppymommo]

I've got nothing to add or speculate here, except to note that it would not surprise me at all if some grunge / punk rock band somewhere learned of, liked and immediately adopted this OP thread title as a band name for themselves --- Hollowed Out Rodents. :ignore:

I agree! When I saw the title I couldn't imagine what it was about.