A dead squirrel causes a lot of trouble. You need to remove the squirrel’s body as soon as possible. Here’s how to dispose of a dead squirrel properly.
Squirrels are generally small animals with large eyes and large ears. They have slender bodies with bushy tails that help them maintain balance when ascending or descending trees headfirst.
According to national geographic, there are more than 200 species of squirrel in the world. Every environment could have unique squirrels which makes them really interesting.
Have you ever found a dead squirrel on your lawn and wondered what to do with it?
Squirrels aren’t like other vermin, so you need to know how to dispose of a dead squirrel properly. I’ll explain how to best dispose of a dead squirrel.
Contents
Why do you need to dispose of a dead squirrel properly?
1. Dead squirrels can contain and spread disease
Dead squirrels can contain and spread disease. If the squirrel died from disease, its body could contain the bacteria or virus that causes that disease.
2. Dead animals create lots of odor
Dead animals create a terrible smell so they can’t just be left to rot in your backyard or on the street.
Letting the body decay will cause a terrible odor to spread throughout your home and it can even affect the health of anyone in the house. It’s important to remove the squirrel’s body as soon as possible.
3. Dead animals attract disease-carrying insects like ants, maggots, and flies
Dead animals are a magnet for disease-carrying insects, and their bodies can rot quickly if they’re left in the wrong place.
When an animal dies, its body is invaded by a host of parasitic insects like maggots, spiders, and ants. They will eat the carcass until there is nothing left but bones.
Preparation to dispose of a dead squirrel
1. Wear gloves when disposing of dead squirrels
You should wear gloves, a mask, and safety glasses while dealing with the carcass of these animals.
You’ll also require taking protective measures while disposing of their carcass, i.e., wearing protective clothing and using heavy-duty plastic bags to dispose of it to avoid any chance of contamination to yourself and your surroundings.
2. Avoid having direct contact with a dead squirrel
When disposing of a dead squirrel, you’ll want to avoid having direct contact with a dead squirrel because of the risks to your health.
You can use a shovel to bring the dead squirrel to dispose of it.
Inhaling excess particles from the decomposing body can cause respiratory issues and even lead to an infection.
If you are in direct contact with the body, it is also possible that some of the bacteria on its fur or skin may get on you and cause an infection.
How to dispose of a dead squirrel
1. Bury it
If you found a dead squirrel and want to bury it, you can.
To bury a squirrel, dig a hole in the ground that is at least twice as deep as the length of its body and around three times as wide.
If you want to bury the squirrel yourself, place it at least 5 feet from any bodies of water, 1 foot from any buildings or pathways, and 3 feet from trees or power lines.
Place the body of the squirrel into the hole so that its head is facing north or south (if you look at the tail, the direction it points indicates which way is north). Cover the hole with soil properly.
2. Throw it into the trash
If you come across a dead squirrel, you can throw it in the trash.
With a shovel, remove the body, wrap it in an old rag, place it in a plastic bag, and toss it in the trash. To avoid odors, make sure it’s covered in airtight plastic.
If you don’t want to touch the squirrel’s body since there will be blood and fur, wear gloves and clothes you don’t like.
3. Burn it
Burning dead animals is another option—you can burn them on your property as long as there isn’t a law against open burning in your community.
It is the most sanitary method of disposing of a dead rodent, and it’s also one of the quickest.
The dead squirrel can be reduced to ashes in under fifteen minutes when you have some kindling or firewood. You only need to place the squirrel over the flames and wait.
You may even do this in your yard by placing the squirrel in a metal container that can resist intense heat and then setting a fire beneath it.
4. Call animal control
In an urban area like ours, calling animal control for a dead squirrel is your best option for letting nature take its course and not getting involved yourself.
They have the tools and experience to safely dispose of the situation and keep everyone safe from potential diseases or other health hazards.
They will take the body away from where you found it and dispose of it properly, as well as make sure that the disease wasn’t spread from the squirrel to someone or something else in the meantime.
What to do after disposing of a dead squirrel
1. Wash your hand after disposing of a dead squirrel
It is important to wash your hands after disposing of a dead squirrel because it will reduce the risk of infection.
By washing your hand with soap and water, you can protect yourself from bacteria and viruses.
2. Wash your clothes after disposing of a dead squirrel
The last thing you want to do when disposing of a dead squirrel gets its gross, stinky smell all over the rest of your clothes. This is why it’s so important to wash your clothes after handling the carcass.
By doing so, you’ll eliminate any risk of transferring the odor. This can be done by running them through the washer with a heavy-duty detergent, or by hand-washing them with dish soap and hot water.
Dry them in a high heat setting, or at least make sure they’re completely dry before putting them away.
3. Disinfect the area
Disinfecting the area after poisoning a squirrel is important for your own safety as well as keeping your house clean.
It will reduce any bacteria in the air that may be present on the spot.
Bacteria can stay alive in environments where there is no sunlight or oxygen for a long time so it’s best to disinfect as soon as possible to avoid any harm.
Conclusion
Dead squirrel disposal can be an emotional and daunting task.
Some people who find dead squirrels in their attic or chimney do not know how to get rid of them. In this article, we will provide the best tips for disposing of a dead squirrel.
- Bury it
- Throw it into the trash
- Burn it
- Call animal control
If you have a problem with disposing of, you can read another article on how to dispose of matches and a treadmill easily.
