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 attractive for wild animals seeking shelter. If you are flipping the compost with a rake during and immediately after the cold winter months, do it with caution: Frogs, toads and other small animals may be living inside. Better yet, wait until the spring takes hold to flip the compost; warmer weather means these animals will have found shelter elsewhere.
ANDREWS MCMEEL SYNDICATION