Possums can infiltrate your garden or even your home, leaving their poop there — possum poop is like the feces of other pets: cats or small dogs. But cleaning after marsupial mammals is dangerous for humans, so it is essential to distinguish between the animals’ feces.
In no case you should touch the opossum feces in order not to get infected with several infections. In this article, you will see several possum poop photos with detailed descriptions. Distinguishing between pet poop and possum feces will help you avoid the risk of getting infected with contagious diseases.
Possum Poop Easy Extermination Guide
Externally, these marsupial mammals look very cute. They look like small brown foxes with outstretched noses and funny eyes. Possums are not dangerous to humans, but their poop can be a carrier of various infections:
- Salmonella;
- EPM;
- Leptospirosis;
- Escherichia coli.
Possum droppings are dangerous because these animals are omnivores and often hunt rodents (rats and mice). It is rodents that are vectors of infection so that diseases can be transmitted through the possum scat.
It is enough to touch the poop or smell it from close range to get infected. There have been periodic deaths in North America and southeastern Canada due to the poop contamination of these mammals.
Some of the diseases above can be transmitted not only to adults and children but also to pets. Therefore, as soon as you see possum droppings in the garden or your home, you should remove them carefully.
Possum droppings identification
It is very difficult to perform a possum droppings identification if there are pets in your house. On the outside, possum droppings are very similar to those of cats or dogs.
But there are ways to distinguish them. One of the most frequent questions on this subject is: “what does possum poop look like? Many people are afraid to confuse the feces of these mammals with the poop of pets. I suggest looking at possum poop pictures to see the characteristic differences and features.
To identify distinctive features of possum poops, note the consistency of the feces. It is completely uniform, without any small broken pieces, as is often the case with dogs. Such poops should have no seeds. If you find the seeds of some plants in them, it is not possum feces.
Poops have a diameter of about 1-1.5 inches. The color may vary from dark brown to dark gray with possible light splashes. A characteristic feature of possum poop feces is a very unpleasant smell. It smells terrible! The smell of the poop of a dog or cat is less pronounced.
It is due to pheromones’ secretions, thanks to which omnivorous mammals mark the territory and scare away potential enemies. You will smell ammonia and rotting poop, as possums often poop and pee at the same time.
How to clean possum feces
Are you sure you have found possum poop in the house, attic, garden, or garage? In this case, you need to remove the feces immediately so that pets and children do not get to them.
Step 1: Take care of the protective equipment
Do not touch poop with bare hands or breathe in the smell. Use thick rubber gloves and a respirator with transparent glasses to protect your eyes. It will eliminate the risk of infections and bacteria that may be present in the poo.
Step 2: Inspect the feces carefully
Take a close look at them with a respirator and glasses. You may notice small larvae. It is a bad sign. Be careful.
Step 3: Place the poop in a bag
Remove the found feces in several dense bags. Use a special cleaning kit if you have one. Do not try to wrap the poop in one layer of the bag. Cellophane may break during transportation and removal to the trash.
Step 4: Throw it in the container
In sturdy or sealed bags, throw the feces into the trash and close the container. Make sure the lid of the container is tightly closed and no other animals can get inside.
Step 5: Disinfect the spot
It is not the end of the cleaning process. The place where the feces were should be treated with a disinfector. It can be an alcoholic antiseptic with high alcohol content, bleach, chlorine concentrate, or any remedy against bacteria and infections. Remember to carefully throw away the gloves and respirator after cleaning, as bacteria may be inside the filter.
How to check for infestation
There are several indications that possums have appeared in your home or garden:
- You hear scratchy sounds in the attic or basement that change their location;
- The facade of a house from below can be bitten, as possums often tear down the finish of a house in some places, damage the cornices and siding;
- You may smell ammonia (possum urine has a pungent smell);
- Pet food disappears (possums can feast on the dog or cat food).
Stay Safe in a Poopless Household
I have added some possum poop images to the article for you to examine the feces of these animals visually. Remember that you need not only to keep the poo away from people and animals but also to protect yourself from further possum poop penetration into your garden, attic, house, or garage.
Write, have you ever met a possum poop? What products have you used for disinfection? Your comments would be of great help to other readers and me.
References:
- Infections in Pets (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services – Centers for Disease Control and Prevention):
https://www.cdc.gov/leptospirosis/pets/infection/index.html - Leptospirosis (Victoria State Government Health and Human Services):
https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/health/conditionsandtreatments/Leptospirosis
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