Any idea what these are?

[FlouncingBabooshka]

Moved a heavy piece of furniture that hasn’t been shifted for many months and found these in a pile right in the corner next to the skirting board. I’ve attached a photo but in case it’s not clear they are pretty much cylindrical and quite regular so look man made rather than natural. About 3x4mm with flat ends and very hard. Pale beige in colour.

Any suggestions?

They look like old rat poison pellets. Bin them.

Thanks @TheNoonBell but I don’t see how they can be. We’ve lived here three years and two years ago I completely redecorated the room including pulling up the carpet and sanding the floorboards. We’ve never put poison down.

Giant couscous...

Cat biscuits?

Where they are sounds like they may have been stashed by a mouse.

Mints that have been chucked and gathered dirt, something inside the piece of furniture has fallen out, mothballs.

Is that a picture of how you found them? Wish I could move a piece of furniture after several months and not find a single bit of dust or fluff!

Looks like pellets of some sort but haven't the foggiest what type or how they would have got there.

Looks like packing pellets. Did you open a parcel with packing pellets & went everywhere? Or maybe a mouse brought them in. Look too big to be termite droppings.

They look like hamster food pellets. I don’t want to alarm you, but rats and mice have been known to steal these from cages and store them. Get a UV torch (a couple of quid off Amazon) and check the flooring around it. If a creature has bought them in, their urine will glow under UV light.

It was my saviour when my neighbour had a big rat problem and I was paranoid they were in my house too.

Thanks everyone. Looks like it will remain a mystery. It’s a spare room so maybe something left by a guest.

Too small and hard to be packing pellets.

Hopefully nothing left by mice (no other signs thankfully) and we’d have to be pretty unlucky for it be be anything to do with termites where we are. Though maybe I shouldn’t tempt fate…

@WhenDovesFly - I removed the fluff for the photograph

Surely there would be droppings if it was a rodent? Black light as mentioned above.

Do you have a pet of any kind?

No sign of rodents and no pets.

Off to buy a UV torch…

Dog biscuit kibble?

Yes! Could be packing pellets. I knew I’d seen them fairly recently in some context but just couldn’t remember.

Oh...just read your comment re: packing pellets. Hmmm. I really thought that was it.

Stuffing from furnishings? Leaky cushion maybe.

What was the furniture? Sofa/armchair? If so have a look underneath and see if it has a hole that things could have fallen out of.

True, could be stuffing beads.

I think the only possible option left is to lick one and let us know what it tastes of. Would narrow things down considerably.

@SheWoreYellow

What was the furniture? Sofa/armchair? If so have a look underneath and see if it has a hole that things could have fallen out of.

It was a bookcase. These things are too hard to be stuffing - unless it’s from some sort of bean bag.

You could try soaking one in water, see if it's any more identifiable when it has expanded.

Are there any pot plants in the room? Some sort of pelletised plant food that's been dropped?

They're from the cabinet. Check that the shelves and drawers are all stable

Ancient mini marshmallows?

Oh no - I threw them away so can’t soak one.

No pot plants in that room.

I know they’re not from the bookcase.

Too small and hard even for the most ancient and mini marshmallows.

@Orgasmagorical

You could try soaking one in water, see if it's any more identifiable when it has expanded.

Noooo that might make them hatch!