Raccoons are well known for their intelligence and resilience, but there’s several things to be concerning droppings or scat. Understanding what raccoon scat looks like is important for identifying an infestation and for ensuring your health and safety.
Raccoon scat can harbor diseases and parasites that can create serious risks to both people and pets. In this blog, we’ll discuss raccoon scat—what it looks like, how to identify it, and how to take action to protect your home.
What Is Raccoon Scat?
Raccoon scat refers to the poop left behind by these nocturnal animals. Raccoon latrines or piles is common sign of their presence in your attic, yard , or trash cans. Raccoon droppings are unpleasant to look and they provide important indicators about the animal’s diet, health as well as potential risks associated with raccoon feces.
While many animals leave droppings behind, raccoon scat has a certain traits that can help you identify it.
Raccoon Scat Identification: What Do Raccoon Droppings Look Like?
Raccoon droppings are typically dark brown to black in color and are typically round and 2 – 5 inches in length. However, there are several clues that can help you tell the difference in raccoon scat from the droppings of other pest animals:
- Size and Shape:
Raccoon scat tends to be about 2-5 inches long and 1/2 to 3/4 inch in circumference. The droppings are generally round, with pinched ends. They often resemble the scat of other domestic animals such as cats or small dogs.
2. Contents:
An important feature of raccoon scat is its content. Raccoons are omnivores and their diet includes both plants, animals and trash. As a result, their scat often contains:
Seeds (especially from fruits like wild blackberries, raspberries or corn)
Insects (such as beetles, cockroaches or ants)
Small rodent bones
Fur from small animals or feathers from birds
3. Texture:
The dryness of raccoon scat can vary depending on how long its been there. Fresh scat is typically dark, moist and soft, while older scat may grey and dry and hard. A dried scat may be covered in mold or fungus, if left exposed for too long.
4. Odor:
Like most animal droppings, raccoon scat has a strong, ammonia like odor due to the toxins and bacteria they carry. If you notice a foul smell in your home or attic, it could be a sign that raccoons are nesting nearby.
Why Identifying Raccoon Scat Is Important
Identifying raccoon scat is not just about knowing if they are in your attic—it’s also very important for your health and safety. Raccoons are known to carry some serious diseases that can be spread through their droppings. Here are some of the health risks associated with raccoon poop:
- Rabies:
Raccoons are a primary vector for rabies, which can be transmitted through saliva, bites, and contact with feces. Rabies is a deadly virus spread to people by fox, skunk and bats. If you have an open cut or mucous membrane, it can be a potential risk.
2. Leptospirosis:
This bacterial infection can spread through contact with the eyes, nose, mouth, or cuts. It can happen when you touch areas contaminated by raccoon urine or feces. Leptospirosis can cause severe health issues in humans, including liver damage, kidney failure, and meningitis. Other animals that carry Leptospirosis are rats, mice, opossums, moles and skunks.
3. Roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis):
Raccoon roundworm are a parasite called Baylisascaris, which lives in their intestines. Roundworm eggs are often in their droppings and can cause neurological damage and organ damage if spread to humans or pets. This is particularly dangerous when cleaning infected raccoon droppings, and children who unknowingly ingest with roundworm eggs.
You can kill these eggs using boiling water or seal them on surfaces by applying an encapsulant sealant. Check out this article on roundworm in raccoon droppings spreading to humans here.
4. Salmonella:
- Raccoon scat can also contain bacteria like Salmonella, which causes food poisoning and other severe stomach problems if consumed.
Where to Look for Raccoon Scat
If you think raccoons are residing in your home, it’s important to inspect areas where they might leave droppings. Remember wear a respirator and eye protection top protect yourself or call a professional pest exterminator. Common places where raccoons leave scat include:
- Attics and Roofs: Raccoons will have young in attics, and their droppings can accumulate in insulation, soffits and roofs. Raccoons can cause an extreme amount of damage to your home or business. Learn more about raccoon poop damage in this New York Post article here.
- Trash Areas: Raccoons will often times leave scat around trash cans, dumpsters or compost piles because they are scavengers and love to eat garbage..
- Gardens and Property: Raccoons will sometimes defecate in gardens and in piles in the yard. They are not picky eaters and will forage for food, such as fruits or vegetables.
- Storage Sheds or Crawl Spaces: These are other potential areas where raccoons may leave large amounts droppings in piles.
What to Do If You Find Raccoon Scat
If you discover raccoon scat on your property, it’s important to take the right steps. Here is how to handle the situation:
- Avoid Contact:
Never touch raccoon scat with your bare hands. Wear gloves and personal protective gear like gloves, a face mask and goggles. If you feel the need to clean up droppings, always wash your hands with anti-bacterial soap when you finish.
2. Clean and Sanitize:
If the scat is located in an area you can access, remove it with a thick plastic bag and dispose of it. Disinfect the area with a sanitizer to address any bacteria or viruses. Raccoons create a lot of health hazards, remember to wear protection when cleaning.
3. Inspect for Infestation:
Raccoon scat is often a tell tale sign of an an infestation. If you find piles of droppings in your attic, it’s time to call a wildlife control expert. They will inspect your home and assess whether raccoons are nesting.
4. Seal Entry Points:
If you suspect that raccoons have entered your attic or home, it’s essential to perform a raccoon exclusion. A wildlife removal expert can help you identify and repair entry points. Using with the proper materials like heavy gauge steel will prevent further access.
5. Seek Professional Help:
If you think you have a raccoon problem, or if you find large amounts of scat, contact a professional wildlife removal service. They can safely remove the animals and their droppings while ensuring your home is properly secured.
Smart Solutions Wildlife Removal
Raccoon scat is just one negative aspect of dealing with these destructive animals. They also can cause considerable damage to roofs, creating water damage and health risks . By understanding what raccoon droppings look like and the risks, you can take the necessary steps to protect your home.
If you find raccoon scat around your property, don’t wait—contact Smart Solutions Wildlife Removal to humanely remove raccoons, repair damage and clean droppings. We are a full service pest and wildlife control company located in Roswell, Ga. We have serviced all of metro Atlanta for 18 years and specialize in cleaning and remediation. Learn more about our attic cleaning and wildlife removal services here.
