Hedgehogs eating my patio???!!!

Hi all,
Hope someone can help me here. I had a sandstone patio laid approx 6 weeks ago and over the last 4 weeks it appears that there has been 'something' scratching my flags in grouped areas. They look like teeth marks and no residue surrounding the scraped areas so possibly not scratches by claws as I would see the remnants. I do spot hedgehogs of an evening in the garden and they do come on the patio as they have pood on it on numerous occasions. Is this what they do? If so, I need to keep them away and why are they doing it? Sharpening their teeth? Every morning I get up there is more!
Someone please help its driving me potty wondering what could be doing it? I don't want to harm what is doing it, but it cost me thousands and I'm baffled!!!

 

I really couldn't tell you Sk1I don't think it's Hedgehogs Maybe a young Fox sharpening his claws someone will be along shortly who may have a better idea

 

Thanks Lolimax, my Dad has said young fox as there was poo on the drive about 2-3 inch long, very dark and very thin. I thought it was hedgehog poo, but I maybe mistaken?

 

I don't think it's claw marks
May be fox teeth, or badger or a rat

 

Badgers?????
Got big claws and that stone marks easily

 

No badgers round this part. My dad has said he has seen young fox here lately (lives over the road from me, literally) and they do look like teeth marks. Could be a rat, but it would have to be a big bother! Not seen any in the 4 years I've been here, but they are never too far away so they say. Whatever it is, its creeping me out and am contemplating buying a humane trap...

 

Whatever it is, sk1pr@, (and I hope you manage to stop it soon) you win this year's prize for the most attention-grabbing thread title!

 

Once the winter comes and the patio is covered in green slime you wont notice it any more

 

Seagulls or Blackbirds i'd guess Either that or Pixies.

 

These marks are and have been appearing on a daily basis over the last 10 days or so. I paid a large amount of money for this patio and have been rinsing bird droppings etc from it of an evening on my return from work. It's 45sqm and I'm a bit of a perfectionist and just like things looking tip top if you know what I mean so I spend time ensuring things look their best. I have an average sized garden I would say and am in it every day. The thought that something is destroying the appearance is of course unsettling me. There are no badgers here or seagulls for that matter and on close inspection this morning there are more and it also looks like the tops of the hardwood oak sleepers we have sanded and yacht varnished are taking a hit also. If you look at the scrapes in the varnish you can see that they are definitely teeth marks. I will upload some more pictures later and some close ups so you can see what I mean. I have looked at the humane cages to catch whatever it is that's doing it (fox?) and they are expensive. Fox is my best bet currently and not the hedgehogs If anyone knows someone with a fox trap I can borrow that would be great in the interim. I have a rat trap and am a bit reluctant to use that as I don't really want to be putting bait (food) out there to entice such things and by the looks of the teeth marks I'm not sure I'd like to approach a rat of that size regardless of it being in a cage. Cage isn't all that big to be honest. I am debating now whether to buy a wireless night camera which activates when something comes in close proximity to it then I'll know for sure what it is and how to tackle it best. I'll tell the kids its pixies

 

Best way to find out what size the thing is would be to lay some flattened sand near the patio & see what footprints are in it in the morning

Found out that it was foxes chucking stuff about outside mine

 

Good call zigs! And as if by magic I have a ton of builders sand still on my drive from the patio build. I will do this when I get home today and see what appears in the morning. Are fox paws spread like 3 toes if you know what i mean? Easy to distinguish?

 

I did rinse off some footprints from the top of the sleepers and on the patio after a wet day and the footprints I've googled were from a crane. Large 3 toe type imprint. Could this be the culprit? There are a number of rather large ones about near me...?

 

I'd be a useless detective! I've decided to do the sand trick this evening and then see what I have in the morning if anything. If that fails I'll put out my rat trap and again, see if anything is happening. If by the end of the weekend I have nothing and damage is still being done I'll look to purchase a night camera. Wish me luck!