Are squirrel feces dangerous to touch or breathe?

To keep squirrels away is difficult. Your most excellent bet is to spray something on the wood that discourages chewing. Your best bet is either a product called Ropel, or a mix of super hot sauce, like habanera pepper spray, or just plain old mace (pepper spray). Wear eye defense and a mask prior to you apply this stuff to your wood! As far as I can tell, it will not cause any harm to wood or paint. Just like many other animals, the feces of the squirrel are a great health risk to other animals as well as pets. When you have been faced with an infestation in the home or attic, it is very important that you wear protective clothing so as to make sure you are protected. After you deal with a squirrel infestation, you need to think about everything very carefully. The feces should be handled well and they have to be removed and such a space decontaminated. The odor can be very disgusting but the health risks are also quite dangerous.

Squirrels are known carriers of different vector borne diseases. When you get into contact with the feces of the squirrels, you are at risk. Infection can occur either through ingestion or inhalation. You should therefore never breathe or touch the feces. You may easily get salmonella which affects humans. This is a bacterial infection that is very common in air and food that has been contaminated.

The other thing you should know is that there is a great possibility that the squirrels can actually transmit rabies to the humans especially when they bite you or when they come into contact with you. You should be very careful when you are handling the animals.

Regardless of how healthy the squirrel looks, it would be best if you stayed away from it. These are animals that are known to carry ticks and fleas and these may cause different kinds of fever inhuman beings.

Though squirrels may not be able to transmit diseases directly all the time, when you inhale or come into contact with the fecal matter, you are at a great risk.

Squirrel feces are black or brown grainy matters in appearance. They are normally soft but they will thicken with the passage of time and then they become hard. When they are left as they are, the feces usually breakout and can be inhaled in form of droplets. It is therefore important to exercise caution.

When handling the feces, you need a mask that has a gas supply if it is a possibility.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Squirrels page or email us if you have any other questions about Are squirrel feces dangerous to touch or breathe?