Hamilton Wildlife Control: Why Is Raccoon Feces Dangerous?

As a Hamilton homeowner, you may occasionally spot glimpses of raccoons while walking wildlife trails or as they forage in the evening, but when they decide to make their home on your property, this could present several dangers for your family. While these masked mammals may look cute, they can cause considerable damage to your home, especially through their feces. At Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control, we offer safe and effective raccoon removal in Hamilton, as well as information about why this animal's waste could cause a potential hazard for you and your family. 

Raccoons Transmit Parasites and Disease

Once raccoons make a home in your yard, chimney or attic, they will defecate when and where they please, which could spell trouble for anyone who comes into contact with the feces. These mammals carry a variety of diseases and parasites, many of which are communicable to people, including: 

• Roundworms 
• E Coli 
• Giardia 

Roundworms can affect your central nervous system, while giardia and E. coli both impact the digestive system. In most cases, you can contract these diseases through ingestion after unknowingly handling raccoon waste, such as when raking and bagging leaves. You may come into contact with any of these while cleaning your yard and handling the feces without knowing, or tracking it into your home on your shoes. Learning to spot their feces may reduce the risk. Raccoon droppings can resemble those of dogs but often have visible plant material, especially berries, throughout it. Once you spot the signs of raccoon activity in your yard, calling us for raccoon removal in Hamilton can prevent the transmission of parasites and disease. 

Raccoon Feces Can Harm Pets 

If your pets roam your yard and raccoons use it as a toilet, this puts your dog or cat in danger. Animals are not always fussy about what they eat when they nose around outside and could come into contact with raccoon feces. If your pets ingest it, they could pick up roundworm or giardia, which can cause intense vomiting and diarrhea. Raccoons can even enter gated yards due to their climbing ability, but our experienced technicians can inspect your home and remove these enterprising animals so your pets remain safe while on your property. 

Raccoons Go Almost Everywhere 

If you see raccoons in your yard and discover signs of activity in your attic, you might ask yourself, "Is raccoon feces dangerous or can I clean it up on my own?" While you might feel it is unsafe to leave the feces where you found it, this is a wise choice until you can call us for help. Not only might you expose yourself to dangerous diseases but you may surprise specimens hiding out in your attic or crawl space. A cornered raccoon will bite and scratch, which can cause you serious injuries.  Because raccoons will use almost any site in your home like a bathroom, you might find feces in and around nests or along pathways these animals use to enter and exit your home. This can cause the bacteria contained in the waste to spread to other areas of the home and infect both people and pets. 

How Skedaddle Can Help 

When you call us for help with a raccoon problem, we can handle each step of the issue from inspecting the home and removing the animals to cleaning and disinfecting any areas where feces is present. We can also repair any damage raccoons have left in your attic and close any entry points so they cannot return. Since these creatures are so intelligent, it is important that we inspect the home closely and block off all entrance points.  If you suspect raccoons have made themselves at home on your property and you need raccoon removal in Hamilton, contact us today for assistance so we can protect you and your family from what these messy masked bandits leave behind.