We hardly ever see the shy marten. His activity is not only annoying. With sharp claws and teeth he can destroy a lot. The typical excrement reveals its territory.
Table of Contents
The external characteristics of the marten solution
The droppings of this canine predator have a distinctive appearance that distinguishes them from other animals’ droppings. Therefore, on closer inspection, it can be easily recognized as a marten solution based on the characteristics listed below:
- Length: 8-10cm
- Width: 1 – 1.5 cm
- Colour: dark gray or brown-black
- Shape: sausage-like, with pointed, twisted ends
Watch out for traces of uneaten food
The nocturnal marten is an omnivore. This fact leaves visible traces in the marten droppings, because its stomach cannot digest everything completely. Depending on what the animal has previously eaten, the droppings may reveal:
- Fellreste
- feathers
- small bones
- kernels and seeds of fruits
Marten droppings from young animals
The marten gives birth to its offspring between the beginning of March and the beginning of April. The young are suckled for about two months. During this period of time, they excrete small, yellow pieces of faeces, the shape of which can be described as irregularly spherical.
A bad smell
The marten droppings give off a very intense smell. People find him very uncomfortable. In short: You can also recognize marten droppings by the fact that they stink! If the droppings found do not smell or only smell faintly, you must not immediately rule out the marten as the cause. It may be old marten droppings that have lost their odor intensity over time.
Place of storage or location
The place where it was found also helps to identify whether it is actually marten droppings. The robber is looking for a permanent toilet place, which he visits again and again. If the marten has been around for a long time, it is likely that you will see old and fresh droppings next to each other. On the other hand, he is not picky about the choice of location. Garden, attic, car, everything is conceivable. If the place is discovered and cleaned, the marten feels disturbed and looks for a new place to lay it. But this will hardly be outside of its old territory.
Include all characteristics to identify
The marten droppings are considered harmless. However, it can be loaded with germs that can cause stomach upset and diarrhea in humans and pets. The droppings of other animals, such as rats, on the other hand, can be more dangerous. Since individual characteristics also apply to the excretions of other animals, it makes sense to always include optical details, smell and location in the assessment. Clear identification also facilitates targeted control. Examine and remove the animal droppings carefully and with suitable protective measures such as disposable gloves.
differentiation from other animals
In order to enable a clear distinction, we want to briefly show how the faeces of other animals differ.
- Cat droppings are slightly wider and vary in length
- smells strong but not unpleasant
- contains no plant remains (since pure carnivores)
- he is buried (clearest distinguishing criterion)
- Hedgehog droppings are 3-6 cm shorter and shiny black
- he only smells mild
- Rat droppings are thinner and shorter (about 7mm in diameter and 2cm in length)
- mostly spread out
- Raccoon droppings are slightly thicker but shorter
- smells less strong and is deposited in higher places
frequently asked Questions
Small rodents, primarily mice, are considered intermediate hosts. But the marten droppings do not pose any danger in this regard. The pathogen could not be detected in its excretion.
This can often be assumed, because the marten does not bother to look for a distant place to deposit its droppings. He does not defecate in his sleeping place, but in the immediate vicinity.
After you have removed all remains of feces, you must additionally clean the attic with a scented cleaning agent or disinfectant. Water with a dash of vinegar also binds unpleasant odors.
