Raccoon Fecal In Your Pool
Do you have raccoon fecal in your pool in Bartlett, TN? Animal droppings in swimming pools are more common than you may realize. Still, there are few things more gross and disgusting than finding raccoon fecal in your pool water on a hot day when you were so looking forward to a refreshing dip in the pool? A situation like this is extremely unsanitary and can expose humans and pets to certain bacterial infections carried by raccoons that can cause serious neurological problems. There are a few preventative measures that you can take in an effort to help prevent a situation like this from happening.
What You Can Do To Keep Raccoon Fecal Out Of Your Pool!
There are steps you can take on your own to deter raccoons from using your pool for their leisure, as a sink to rinse their paws and objects, or as a toilet to cover the scent of their droppings. Block the area beside the pool steps or ladder using a gate or use pads with spikes on them. Lay the spike bass around these areas with the spikes up to make it uncomfortable for the raccoon to walk over the pad to access the ladder or steps. Motion-activated lights are considered frightening devices that can be installed around the pool and programmed to flash and scare raccoons away when activated. Some people say that garlic or ammonia will deter raccoons as well.
Why Do Raccoons Leave Fecal In Pools?
Raccoons defecate in water to remove or disguise the smell of their fecal droppings which enables raccoons to be more discreet and hidden in the wild from predators and other wildlife as they forage for food. The water will either carry the droppings away or wash away the scent.
How Can You Tell If It’s Raccoon Fecal In Your Pool?
Raccoon fecal is 2-3 inches long and tube-shaped. It has a different look and texture than dog fecal because it will have pieces of undigested food in it. This is one way to determine that it a raccoon is the culprit that contaminated your pool.
Are you aware that raccoons love to swim and relax in the water? They will generally locate their nest as close to a body of water as possible. People may think this is because raccoons like to be clean. However, there’s a different reason.
Why Do Raccoons Always Wash Their Hands?
Raccoon paws are sensitive with whiskers that send information to the raccoon’s brain about what they are holding. They process what they are holding more by feel than sight. They will wash their hand-like paws so they can better feel and hold onto an object whether they plan to eat the item they are holding or not. The raccoon will still wash as often as they can to remove any gunk or dirt stuck to their paws, and this is why they need to be close to a water source. Everything they do is mostly by feel.
Raccoon Diseases To Be Aware Of:
Health concerns are the main reason to take care of this situation immediately. It is not only disgusting, but it can also expose you to a plethora of bacteria that exists in all fecal matter, especially raccoon fecal. Raccoons pass roundworm eggs in their fecal from the roundworms that live in their intestines. The parasites are not a concern for the raccoon but can cause an infection called Baylisacaris in humans as well as other animals. You can contract Baylisacaris unknowingly if you touch your face following contact with raccoon fecal.
Raccoon Disease Symptoms And What To Be Aware Of:
The onset of symptoms of Baylisacaris generally present between 1 to 4 weeks after coming into contact with raccoon fecal. Symptoms to be aware of include loss of coordination and muscle control, fatigue, nausea, enlarged liver, blindness and coma. Seek medical attention immediately if you begin to have any of these symptoms.
It is important to properly clean and sanitize an area where you wild animal droppings are found. Heat is the best method to kill roundworm eggs instantly, but there are no cleaning products known that effectively kill roundworm eggs.
How We Can Help With The Raccoon Fecal In Your Pool in Bartlett TN
Apex Wildlife Control are the wildlife professionals for you to contact. We are here to assist you whether the fecal is in your swimming pool or your attic. We offer a fecal cleaning and deodorization service and will clean the most daunting of messes. However, raccoon fecal in your pool may be an indication of a larger problem. The deterrents mentioned for you to try are a good start but may not always work. If the issue persists we also offer outside trapping services for all wildlife. Trapping may be the only option to stop the raccoons from contaminating your pool water.
Our Raccoon Trapping Service
Apex uses humane, live cage traps that are not harmful to the trapped animals. Our wildlife technicians will determine the animal species involved in order to use a species specific bait in the trap. The technician will ask about any small dogs or cats in the area to avoid catching any domestic animals by accident. This is another reason we use the humane, traps. It is easy for a cat to enter a trap, but they will need our help to get out.
If you have seen more than one raccoon on your property it may be a family. Our technicians will always attempt to trap raccoon families together so, please, count them, and let us know how many you have seen so we are able to set the proper number of traps. The goal is to relocate the family together to optimize their chances for survival. We relocate them 25 miles or more away from your property so they are unable to find their way back to your property. Upon release the family will have to establish a home in a new territory that is most likely occupied by other raccoons. They may have to fight for territory and avoid predators and other wildlife while at the same time locating new sources of food and water. This is easier to do if the family is released together.
Apex Wildlife Control is here for all your wildlife needs. There really is no wildlife problem too big for our wildlife technicians to handle. So if you have raccoon fecal in your pool in Bartlett TN, call us today!
