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Is opossum feces dangerous to touch or breathe?

The feces of animals are never pleasant. The smell and the look of it alone make it a yucky thing to be around. It is understandable that no one would want to be around it, much less clean it up.



But did you know that the feces of many of these animals can be quite dangerous for you to touch, and even extremely hazardous for you to breathe? It is true, and one of these animals that you need to be really careful of is the opossum.

The feces of an opossum have an extremely strong smell and will leave your yard smelling unbelievably bad, but it can do a whole lot more than that. This animal’s feces can cause a whole series of issues for your health, starting with the eyes. There are also a whole host of parasites that are found in the feces that can cause all kinds of health issues for you.

Some of the more serious problems you can face include:

Hepatitis A – if you come in contact with an opossum’s feces or urine, you can wind up becoming infected with Hepatitis A. This can do a lot of damage to your liver, and is able to get into your blood stream through a wide variety of means. This is why it is important to wear gloves, protective clothing, and even goggles. The urine can enter through your eyes and you can get infected.

Rabies – this is another common illness that is carried in many of these rodents. When the animal relieves itself, the parasites are still inside the waste and can be transferred by coming in contact with it, or if other animals or insects become infected with it you can get the illness. Fleas are one of the most dangerous examples of this happening.

Salmonella and Leptospirosis – these illnesses can easily get into your blood stream by having contact with the waste of these animals. Should you touch it or even get it on your clothing, it is important to wash your skin right away. These can be very dangerous illnesses, and so you have to do what you can to protect yourself.

You should be aware that you do not always have to touch the feces or urine to become ill. Even breathing it in can be a problem. As the feces dries, the parasites become released into the air. When you cause it to stir up if you walk in it or are sweeping it out of your garage or attic, you can actually cause those parasites to get into the air. If you are not wearing a mask, you may breathe this in and become sick. This is why if you are around it at all, you want to wear gloves, protective clothing, goggles, and a mask. Read more: Opossum Control, How to Get Rid of Opossums, Opossum Feces.


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