Wood pile doubles as mouse trap

[drsmith01]

I had a large wood pile that was dry last year and covered with a tarp throughout this year. When I uncovered it to restack on my porch for burning this winter, I found two large mouse nests on top with several adult mice crowded together - all dead. Just curious if this is common, and others have seen it. I wonder what did them in... cold, heat, lack of oxygen? It looked like another animal was camping out in there as well - maybe a weasel - but it had long departed.

 

[bigealta]

Be careful with the wood that has mouse poop on them. Don't want to inhale that dust. Hantavirus is deadly.

 

[stoveliker]

Yes,. I've seen many nests and a few dead mice.
No full nest like that tho.

Often those pieces are wetter, I presume from mouse pee.

 

[marty319]

I had a weasel raiding my mouse traps in the crawlspace,don't know how he got in but he is gone.