The signs may already be there before you actually pin down whether or not you have a pest problem in your home. Generally, this can easily be identified by little parcels of poop scattered throughout your roof, attic or basement.
The problem is identifying the poop so that you know the exact type of pests you’re dealing with and how they can be removed.
Learn how to tell the difference between squirrel droppings, rat droppings, mouse droppings and other pests in this post.
Common Residential Pests and Their Droppings
The reality is that it’s never a good sign when you actually find pest droppings in your home. This means that they have probably taken up residence and will need to be professionally removed.
The one positive in finding pest droppings is that it gives you a chance to identify the creature(s) that have become your new housemates. Knowing the type of pest you’re dealing with, gives you a much better chance of completely evicting them from your property, once and for all.
So, what type of pests tend to set up camp in your home without an invitation? Most commonly they include:
- Rodents, namely rats, mice, squirrels, and chipmunks
- Larger animals such as possums, skunks, raccoons, woodchucks, and groundhogs
- Insects including termites, cockroaches, and bed bugs
- Bats
- Reptiles including lizards and snakes
Before you remove the poop and flush it, take some time to study it (there’s no need to get too close!) and see if you can identify the type of pest.
Just bear in mind that most pest droppings are toxic. If you plan on getting up close and personal, do so with extreme caution.
This is especially important with pest feces such as bat guano or large quantities of feces. Make sure you wear gloves, and a face mask at all times.
How to Identify Pest Droppings
There’s no fine art to identifying the feces of different pests. You just need to know what you’re looking for in terms of size, shape, and color. The location of the poop is also a dead giveaway as to the type of pest you’re confronting.
1. Squirrel Droppings
Squirrel droppings are often confused with rat droppings. This is an easy mistake to make because of the shape and length of both species’ poop.
When identifying squirrel droppings, look for pellets of poop that are rounded at the ends, unlike the pointed, sharp ends of rat poop. The color of squirrel droppings will also lighten over time, while rat dung will remain a dark color.
So to summarize, if you find long, oblong-shaped droppings with rounded ends which are lighter in color, they are most likely left by squirrels. Additional photos of squirrel droppings can be found here:
http://www.wildlife-removal.com/squirrelpoop.html
2. Mouse Droppings
Mice are one of the most common pests to invade a home. They also leave behind their droppings wherever they go, and not in one singular spot like other rodents.
You’ll need to look for oblong-shaped pellets of dung which are quite dark in color. They are a little thinner in thickness than rat or squirrel droppings.
Generally, you’ll find mice droppings in kitchens, basements, garages, and roofs. Or anywhere the mice have been hiding or running.
3. Rat Droppings
Rats are also a very common in-home pest and tend to infest either the roof or basement of a home. This is where you’ll most commonly find their droppings.
Rat poop is generally a little thicker than mice droppings, but also oblong in shape and a little longer too. Their feces is a similar color and also tend to be scattered in distribution. Rat poop remains dark in color over time and does not lighten or fade, unlike squirrel feces.
4. Chipmunk Droppings
While chipmunks are not a super common pest to infest homes, they can be quite a nuisance when they do. Their droppings look similar to mouse feces and are equally as toxic to humans.
Chipmunk droppings are oblong in shape and about a quarter-inch larger than mice droppings. They also tend to harden and become brittle over time.
5. Raccoon Droppings
Raccoons fall outside of the rodent category and you probably already know by now how much of a nuisance they can be. It’s no secret that raccoons can cause a number of problems if they choose to take up in your attic, garage, or any other outbuildings. Due to their size, stench, and other health risks, raccoons pose a serious threat to your home.
Raccoon feces are easy to spot, you can even identify them on the ground outside of your home. You may also be able to identify remnants of what they’ve been eating in their droppings. This will help to learn a little more about their feeding habits and where they are finding their food.
Raccoon dung looks similar to dog poop- their droppings are usually fat and full of visible specks of the food they’ve eaten. Their dung is usually left in a singular pile.
6. Skunk Droppings
Skunks are equally as unwelcome in your home as raccoons or any other pest for that matter. Most notably, skunks are identifiable by their distinctive smell and their spray. This is often a dead giveaway they have been skulking around your property.
Skunk poop, however, is actually the size of cat droppings but is different in shape. Their feces are usually a little mushy in texture and can vary in color depending on what they’ve eaten. You may be able to identify bits of their food in their droppings, such as insects or berries.
7.Lizard Droppings
Lizard poop is actually quite common around residences and can easily fool a homeowner into thinking it is a much larger pest. Lizard poop; however, has a very distinct looks that makes it easily identifiable. Lizards eliminate both liquid and solid waste through the same opening. As a result, lizard droppings have distinctive white tips due to crystallized uric acid. Check out the following website, for excellent pictures of lizard poop:
Get Your Pest Problem Under Control
If you’ve recently identified squirrel droppings or any other pest feces, the best thing to do next is call in professional pest control.
Rodent droppings can be extremely dangerous and special care and protective equipment is usually required to safely clean up the infested area. Several different diseases can be transmitted by rodents through their droppings, urine, or saliva. These diseases include: hantavirus, plague, tularemia, and LCM.
At Synergy² Pest Control, we specialize in the trapping, removal, and extermination of pests in both residential and commercial environments. Our ultimate goal is to blend our passion for science and passion for expert customer service.
Learn more about our residential pest control service here. We have a couple of recent blog posts on similar topics:
https://synergy2ms.com/squirrels-in-your-attic-how-to-get-rid-of-squirrels-naturally/
https://synergy2ms.com/what-makes-the-best-mouse-trap-bait-how-to-catch-a-mouse-fast/
Interested in learning more about rodent, squirrel, and wildlife control? Visit the following websites for more information:https://www.doyourownpestcontrol.com/droppings.htm https://stoppestinfo.com/113-how-to-get-rid-of-squirrels-a-complete-guide.html https://www.hgtv.com/outdoors/gardens/animals-and-wildlife/17-ways-to-get-rid-of-squirrels-pictures https://www.wikihow.com/Get-Rid-of-Squirrels
If you need pest control services for your home or business please visit our site at https://synergy2ms.com. Feel free to read more about us and decide if Synergy² is the right company for you. We have over 200 Five-Star Google reviews for pest control service in the Jackson metro area (Jackson/Madison/Brandon/Ridgeland). Check out our newest location reviews for pest control service in Jackson, MS here!