Every garden owner occasionally finds traces of manure in the garden. But is that now marten, fox, rat or hedgehog droppings? Most of the time, the excrement can be easily distinguished based on its appearance and texture.
Clear evidence of hedgehog droppings
An indication of the presence of hedgehogs in the garden are their legacies. In contrast, direct encounters with the shy animals are rather rare. To be sure that it is actually hedgehog droppings (solution), you have to take a closer look.
- Hedgehog poop is glossy, black to dark brown
- More recognizable by the shape, less by the smell
- Long, rolled with pointed ends
- Between three and six inches long
- Eight to twelve millimeters wide
- Partly remains of insects, berries, hair or feathers can be seen
- Preferably on green areas, flower beds, paved paths and terraces
- Mostly widely spread as hedgehogs are constantly on the move
- Smell varies in intensity depending on the food consumed
Tip: The feces of rats are also scattered around. You can usually find it along a wall or wall. In addition, rat droppings are significantly smaller at one to two centimeters.
Solution - an indication of the hedgehog's state of health
A change in consistency and coloration can indicate that the animal is sick. If that is the case, the excrement not only looks different, it also smells much more intense or even disgusting. It is no longer black, but green to light green. A shape is no longer recognizable and it has a mushy, slimy and soft consistency. A sick hedgehog may also be out and about during the day, which distinguishes it from its healthy counterparts.
Tip: If everything points to a sick hedgehog, one should give him a
Seek an experienced person who has sufficient knowledge and appropriate permits for veterinary treatment as quickly as possible.Leftovers can transmit disease
Hedgehog poop is not only unpleasant, it can also transmit serious diseases to people and pets. It should not be forgotten that the hedgehog is a wild animal that comes into contact with all kinds of pathogens.
- As a wild animal naturally infested with parasites and other pathogens
- Without being sick yourself
- Low to moderate infestation usually normal
- Infestation with external parasites such as hedgehog fleas and internal parasites such as worms
- A bacterium that is closely related to the diphtheria pathogen can also be transmitted
- Transmission via the faeces of the animals
- May affect people and pets
- Infection with salmonella or leptospira (bacteria) possible
- As well as skin fungal infections, so-called mycoses
- Diphtheria-like pathogens can cause serious illnesses
- Skin and lymph node abscesses, respiratory infections, neurological damage and heart inflammation
Tip: To protect against all these pathogens, careful hygiene when disposing of the excrement is essential. This makes it all the more important to maintain direct contact as much as possible
avoid.Correctly remove leftovers
As already mentioned, hedgehogs often do their business on paved and paved areas, but also on beds and green areas. It should be removed as soon as possible. This is relatively easy on paved surfaces with the help of conventional cat litter and a cat litter scoop. As an alternative to this, there is a special puke tong with two gripping arms, provided you have one at hand. It is then advisable to treat the affected area with a vinegar cleaner, which at the same time neutralizes the odor.
Removing hedgehog droppings is a bit more difficult on unpaved surfaces such as lawns. You should use disposable gloves for this. These are used to pick up the excrement and pull the glove off over the hand, like when picking up dog excrement, so that the excrement ends up in the glove. The whole thing is then disposed of in the household waste. Here, too, it is advisable to rinse the area in the lawn with plenty of irrigation water. If the lawn has been mowed briefly, a puke tong can also be used.
Tip: Hedgehog poop should not be disposed of on the compost heap. Otherwise, so-called pathogenic germs (germs with disease-causing properties) could spread in the garden via this route.
