Identify a Pest By Its Droppings

Sometimes we don’t know we have pests until we find their droppings inside our homes and not only can this be gross to find but also concerning, especially when you’re unsure what it is you’re dealing with. Cut the curiosity and identify the pest in your home by their poop with our handy infographic. And see below for more details on determining the type of pest in your home.

Rats 

Rats excrete much more than any other pest, as much as 25000 pellets in one year. Should you have rats, you will notice these droppings all over as they go to the toilet as they scurry around, so it’s unusual to see a mass of excrement in one place.  

Rat poop is dark and soft when newly deposited but after a couple of days, the stool hardens and becomes lighter in colour. The droppings of a rat can be as big as ¾ of an inch long and ¼ inch thick. This being said, rat poop does vary depending on the species but it is predominantly the same long, spindle-shape.

Norway Rat

• Size: ¾ inches long

• Shape: rectangular and blunt at the ends

• Found in small scattered clusters

Roof Rat

• Size: ½ inch long

• Shape: curved pellets

• Found scattered around in lots of locations

Mice

Mice are also frequent toileters and deposit lots faecal matter, as much as 27,000 pellets a year! If you have found mice poop, you will see small seed-like droppings that range between ⅛ and ¼ of an inch. Mouse excrement is always found near where they like to adventure, usually where food is, so your kitchen is a likely place to find mouse poop.

House Mice

• Size: between ⅛  and ¼ inches long

• Shape: small and pointed

• Brown/black in colour

Cockroaches

When identifying cockroach poop, you will find matter that looks like coarsely ground pepper and not only will you find it sprinkled across the floor but on your walls too. Unfortunately, cockroach excrement is sticky and will stay wherever they deposit it. Cockroach dropping are highly toxic and can cause a number of illnesses to humans including salmonella, asthma and many other serious problems.  

Bed bugs

Similar to cockroach excrement, bed bug deposits tiny specks – like the size of a pinhead. Their poop can be found in all soft furnishings in the home but the first place to recognise these are of course, in your bed. Their droppings are usually rust coloured and you will notice small flecks covering your mattress. 

Squirrels

Squirrel poop is oblong and thick, it looks quite a lot like rat excrement but slightly bigger. Their deposits are rounded at the ends and their stool turns white over time. If you have squirrels, you’re likely to find them high up in your attic and scattered around because they can poop on the move.

Bats (Protected Species)

We have included bats in the article because they often inhabit buildings and lofts, but they are definitely not pests and should be encouraged, not discouraged. Bats are mammals and their droppings are a similar colour to mice. We have included bats in this section to help you identify whether the droppings in your loft are bats or mice because poison placed in a loft to kill mice could inadvertently cause harm to bats. By knowing what to look for, you will hopefully be able to tell the difference in droppings and therefore ensure the safety of bats that have chosen to roost in your loft or attic space.

Bat droppings are generally rougher in appearance compared to mouse droppings, they are also softer and will crumble to dust with light pressure, whereas mouse droppings are hard. This is because a bat’s diet consists of bugs and undigested exoskeletons. Bat poop could be found scattered randomly across the loft as they fly around, or in clusters underneath where they reside, so look up and see if this creature has made a home of your attic or loft. If you do find bats in your loft, it is advised that you do not disturb them.

Don’t suffer with pests, identify them immediately and let’s start the evacuation process. For excellent services and a professional eye, call our team today. We work throughout a number of locations including: Basildon, Billericay, Braintree, Central London, Chelmsford, Colchester, Epping, Halstead, Harlow, Maldon, Outer London, Romford, Southend and Stansted.