Squirrel Poop: What Does Squirrel Poop Look Like?
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Squirrels are among the most ubiquitous small mammals on Earth. Their twitching noses, bushy tails, and furry bodies are adorable and endearing.
Most of us would love to have one, oblivious to any potential damage these adorable little furballs might cause. While seeing animal poop like squirrel poop isn't a pleasant topic for anyone, it often means a lot.
Given their cute nature, many people think squirrel poop is cute, or at least, their waste shouldn't be as off-putting as other animals. What does squirrel poop look like?
Despite their adorable appearance, squirrels can turn into invasive pests and cause you major problems, so don't be fooled.
They often sneak into homes, devour food, destroy things like power lines. They also don't come clean when they're in your house, and they leave litter in your attic insulation, cupboards, and other places.
The only time squirrels are entertaining is when they're perched on a tree in your yard or near you for a quick meal. But that's about it; if they get into your home, you'll have sleepless nights and a stench of squirrel droppings strewn all over your attic.
This article explores the answer to the question, "What does squirrel poop look like?" And tell you everything you need to know. We've also added some squirrel poop images for your convenience.
What does squirrel poop look like?
© stockphotofan1/Shutterstock.com
Squirrel droppings are similar to mouse droppings, but unlike the latter, squirrel droppings have rounded edges. Because the sides of squirrel droppings are rounded rather than indented or pinched, they often resemble coffee beans.
Both are about the same size, though, so to the untrained eye they look the same. Squirrel droppings are slightly smaller, 3/8 inch long by 1/8 inch wide.
Due to their nutrition, squirrel poop is also brown, but usually lighter in color. Additionally, squirrel droppings can come in a variety of colors, including light brown and reddish shades, green and tan particles. Initially laid in a dark brown color, these small grains gradually lighten and dry out over time.
What do squirrels eat?
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What does squirrel poop look like? Squirrels eat a variety of vegetables and meat, making them true omnivores. Nuts, acorns, seeds, fruits, fungi, flower buds and green vegetables make up the bulk of their diet. They will occasionally eat eggs, insects, chicks, small rodents, amphibians, and even snakes.
After mating, the female has to care for a large number of baby squirrels, which often happens between spring and fall. For the first 6 to 10 weeks, young squirrels are exclusively breastfed. The young squirrels are then ready to forage for their typical omnivorous diet.
In most cases, the droppings of squirrels were lighter in color than those of mice—probably because their food intake was much lower.
Flying squirrels, tree squirrels, and even ground squirrels have an amazing ability to store food for the winter. The most common strategy is scatter hoarding, where squirrels store food far, far away (up to seven acres away from home). However, some species also store a large pile of food close to where they sleep.
Because of their extraordinary sense of smell, they are very picky about the quality of their food, rejecting anything that is immature or has low nutritional value. After identifying a suitable prospect, scatter-hoarding squirrels will place the food in their mouths before finding a suitable piece of ground to bury it under.
Where Do Squirrels Usually Poop?
© iStock.com/Helen Davis
What does squirrel poop look like? Where do they usually poop? Unlike rat droppings, squirrel droppings usually come in clusters in certain places. What's remarkable about squirrels is that they keep dropping their droppings in the same place.
This means that the droppings can build up in large piles where they choose. Squirrels are generally more cautious, so it's rare to see them littered with feces. Mice are not as humble as squirrels when it comes to poo.
Instead, they have been observed defecating everywhere, even while moving. Squirrels, on the other hand, choose a toilet location and use it exclusively. As mentioned earlier, squirrels are very secretive about their poop, and their droppings are rarely observed outdoors—making it difficult to obtain images of squirrel poop.
Are squirrel droppings a health risk?
What does squirrel poop look like, and is it dangerous?
The quick answer is yes. Like all rodent droppings, squirrel droppings can contain a range of diseases and parasites that can be harmful to humans and pets. They have been known to carry a variety of diseases and conditions, many of the most dangerous of which are spread through feces and urine in squirrel populations.
Still, the chances of humans being exposed to squirrel droppings are slim. But if it did happen, it could have devastating effects on the health of children and adults.
Leptospirosis, a bacterial infection transmitted through rodent urine and feces, is a major cause of concern. While it often causes flu-like symptoms, leptospirosis can also cause severe breathing difficulties and even death in some cases. Another disease you can easily catch from squirrel droppings is salmonella, which usually causes symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting but is rarely fatal.
Airborne transmission from falling squirrels is another important consideration. If squirrels have taken root in your attic, there may be a pile of dried up droppings. These dry droppings crumble easily, and the dust rises into the air.
It can be fatal for asthmatics who inhale it and induce severe respiratory illness. This is why cleaning up squirrel droppings requires extra care.
How do you keep squirrels away?
The strong smell is repulsive to squirrels. The most effective repellant for squirrels is ammonia. If ammonia makes you uncomfortable, you can use any strong household cleaning solvent.
If you have cats or dogs, keep their fur around your attic. The presence of a possible predator's scent will keep squirrels away.
Never forget that every living thing on our planet has the right to live. You must be very careful when removing a squirrel from your property so as not to injure it.
How do you deal with a squirrel infestation?
How do squirrels get into homes, or even worse, infest them? They can enter through broken vents, torn screens, or damaged planks. Overhanging trees or branches can also give squirrels easy access to your roof. If you see squirrel droppings in your attic or elsewhere in your home, it is recommended that you consult a professional who deals with all types of rodent extinction.
If you want to try to solve the problem yourself, the most popular method is the bait and trap method. While there are spring traps that actually kill the animals, there are more humane ways to return these adorable squirrels to the wild where they belong.
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about the author
Victor Victor
For six years, I have been a professional writer and editor of books, blogs and websites, with a particular focus on animals, technology and finance. When I'm not working, I enjoy playing video games with my friends.
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