People are often interested in and sometimes scared of raccoons because of their cute masks and naughty behaviour. Even though it can be fun to watch them, being around them can also bring some less desirable things, like raccoon droppings. You need to know how to safely deal with raccoon droppings to keep your living space clean and safe.
How to Find Raccoon Droppings
Before you talk about safety steps, you need to know how to spot raccoon droppings. It’s important to tell the difference between raccoon poop and other animal poop because they often look the same. Here are some things you can tell about raccoon droppings:
- Size and Shape: Raccoon droppings are usually about 2 to 3 inches long and look like small tubes.
- Colour: Most of the time, they are black or dark brown.
- Texture: Raccoon droppings that are still wet and a little soft feel. They may dry out and crumble as they age.
- Contents: Raccoon droppings often have bits of vegetation, bug exoskeletons, and berry seeds that haven’t been digested yet.
- Location: Raccoon droppings can be found in many places, such as your attic, yard, or outdoor buildings like sheds and decks.
Risks to Your Health from Raccoon Poop
Raccoon droppings can be bad for people’s health because they can spread diseases and bugs. The main health issues that come up with raccoon poop are:
- Baylisascaris Procyonis is a roundworm that is often found in the guts of raccoons. This parasite’s eggs can be found in raccoon poop. If humans eat them, they can cause major health problems, such as damage to the nervous system.
- Salmonella and Leptospira are just two of the dangerous bacteria that can be found in raccoon droppings. Getting these germs on your skin can make you sick in your stomach.
How to Handle Raccoon Droppings Safely
If you find raccoon droppings in your attic, garden, or somewhere else on your land, be sure to handle them safely by following these steps:
- Wear Protective Gear: Put on the right safety gear before you try to clean up raccoon poop. This should include disposable gloves, a mask, and safety goggles to keep hands and eyes from coming into touch with feces and possible airborne particles.
- Ventilate the Area: If you’re working in a small area, like an attic, make sure there is enough air flow by opening windows and doors. This can help spread out any particles in the air.
- Moisten the Area: Lightly mist the area with water before you clean it to keep dust and other particles from flying around.
- Use Disposables: To clean and throw away things, use throwaway items like paper towels, cloths, or trash bags. Do not use vacuum cleaners because they can release dirty air.
- Clean Completely: Carefully pick up the droppings and anything else that might be dirty. Put them in two plastic bags and then put them in an outdoor trash can with a lid that doesn’t open easily.
- Clean and cleanse: Once the droppings are gone, clean and disinfect the area well. You can use a store-bought cleaner or bleach and water mixed together.
- Wash Your Hands: Once you’re done cleaning up, take off your safety gear and throw it away. Then, wash your hands and any skin that’s showing with soap and warm water.
- Watch Your Health: If you’ve come into touch with raccoon poop and are having any strange symptoms, you should see a doctor right away.
Stopping raccoons from getting in
It’s important to know how to safely deal with raccoon droppings, but it’s also important to keep raccoons from coming onto your property in the first place. Raccoons can get into your attic or crawl space through trash cans that are not locked, and you should not leave pet food or other food sources out for them to find.
Finally, raccoon droppings can contain possible health risks, but these can be lessened by handling them properly and taking other precautions. You can keep your living space healthy while living with these interesting animals if you stay informed and follow safe cleanup methods.
At Raccoon Control Lindsay we offer our neighbors across Lindsay with a high-quality, robust, and reliable set of pest control solutions that include exclusion services and proofing services against all kind of pests and wildlife including the notorious raccoon that roams Lindsay causing all sorts of trouble.