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When you layer organic matter like dead leaves, grass clippings and vegetable waste in a compost heap, it "warms up" as the items degrade into beneficial mulch. In the cold winter months, anything warm is a potential shelter for wild animals. If you are flipping the compost with a rake in the winter months, do it with caution: Frogs, toads and other small animals may be living inside. Better yet, wait until the spring to flip the compost -- the warmer weather means the animals will find shelter elsewhere.