Have you found raccoon poop in your pool? There is nothing more unsettling or gross than going out to your pool on a nice relaxing day and finding raccoon fecal in your pool water. It is not only extremely unsanitary, but may cause serious neurological issues from certain diseases that raccoons carry. Animal droppings in pools are more common than you realize, and there are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening.

Raccoons defecate in water when they are near a water source. They do this to disguise their droppings so other predators cannot smell and track them. Water carries the droppings off or washes away the scent of the fecal matter. This helps raccoons to be more discreet and hidden in the wild, where they can find food easier and avoid other wildlife.

One way to tell if a raccoon is the particular culprit leaving fecal matter in your pool is by the shape and texture of the fecal droppings. Raccoon fecal is 2-3 inches in length and has a tube-like shape. It is different from dog fecal because it will have pieces of undigested food in it.

Did you know that raccoons love to swim in water and relax in a pool? They usually try to nest close by a body of water. People believe raccoons just like to be clean and that is why they wash their hands, but there is a different reason for this action.

The paws of a raccoon are very sensitive and have whiskers that transmit information to their brain about what they are holding. They take in much of this information and process what they are holding more by feel than sight. They wash their hands often so they can get a better feeling of what they are holding onto. Whether they intend to actually eat the item they are holding or not, they will still wash it. This is why raccoons require a water source close by. Everything they do is primarily by feel, and they cannot do that if they have gunk and dirt stuck on their paws. Even out in the wild, raccoons will wash their paws and objects as often as they can.

Swimming pools are a major attractant for these little guys.  Mother raccoons will often lead her babies to the edge of a pool to teach them how to wash their hands and their food.  However, sometimes a baby will get too close to the edge and accidentally fall in.  If the mother raccoon cannot get the baby out, this situation can have a tragic end.

There are several things you can do to prevent raccoons from using your pool for leisure, to cover the scent of their droppings, or rinse their hands and objects.

First, block the area by your pool steps or ladders. You can use a gate or try pads with spikes on them. Lay the spike pads near the stairs area to make it uncomfortable for the raccoon to walk over them to get to the stairs.

Some homeowners will install motion-activated lights around the pool that start to flash when movement is noted. Flashing lights can scare the raccoons away and are considered frightening devices. Some people even believe garlic or ammonia can deter them as well.

The main reason to handle this problem immediately is health concerns. Not only is it gross and disgusting, but there is so much bacteria in all fecal matter, especially raccoon droppings. Raccoon droppings contain worm eggs that are harmless to the raccoon, but can cause an infection called Baylisacaris. Humans as well as animals can be infected.  This infection is caused by roundworm eggs in fecal droppings from the large worms that live in raccoon intestines.

If you come into contact with raccoon fecal droppings, look for symptoms that you may have been exposed to this disease. Some signs include tiredness, lack of attention to people and their surroundings, loss of coordination, loss of muscle control, nausea, liver enlargement, blindness, and even coma.

These symptoms usually show between one to four weeks after you have touched or come into contact with their fecal droppings. It is very important to properly sanitize and clean an area after you see any wild animal droppings in the area. There are no known cleaning products that will effectively kill roundworm eggs. Heat is the best method to kill the eggs instantly, followed with a proper disinfectant to clean the area.

Apex Wildlife Control offers a fecal cleaning and deodorization service. We clean the most daunting of messes. Whether the fecal droppings are in your attic or pool area, we are here to help you!

Fecal droppings in your pool are only a symptom of a bigger problem. If you continue to have this issue, we need to attack the source of the problem. We offer exterior trapping services for all wildlife animals. The use of deterrents at first is a great start, but it may not always work.

When cleaning up fecal matter,  particles may unknowingly be distributed throughout your pool water. These particles can get into your nostrils or eyes. If this occurs exposure symptoms may show up anywhere from one to four weeks.  Also, raccoons can carry mites, fleas, ticks, and other parasites. These are all problems that must be considered when cleaning and disinfecting your pool.

It is very helpful to know if there is a family of raccoons and how many adults or juveniles. The technicians will attempt to trap the entire family so they can all be relocated together. Once relocated, the animals will establish a new home and territory. This will include finding a new water source, food, and avoiding the local wildlife and predators which is much easier to do if the family is together.  We will relocate the raccoons 20 miles or more away from your property so you don’t have to worry about them coming right back.

So if you have some unwanted guests at your pool, call us today!  We will take care of the problem for you!