Having lizards in your house is a nightmare. These uninvited guests crawl over your countertops, furniture, wall, and even utensils. They leave germs on everything.
And the worst part is their weird droppings scattered around the house. Of all things in the world – nobody wants to deal with lizard poop!
But how do you identify whether those droppings belong to a lizard or something bigger like a mouse? You examine them for physical clues.
In today’s article, we will discuss ‘what do lizard droppings look like?’ in great detail. So, without further ado, let’s dive in!
What Does Lizard Poop Look Like?
Lizard droppings are quite different from the other house reptiles. They are small and black with a white tip on the end. If you see poop like this, know that it is a lizard dropping.
Sometimes, the poop color may be brown or greenish. However, it will also have a white tip attached to it. This is because lizard droppings have two parts.
The black/brownish part is the waste matter (or poop), whereas the white discharge contains uric acid crystals. It’s solidified urinary waste. Both excretory products are disposed of from the same opening, which is why they are attached.
With that said, not all lizards have the same droppings. You can identify whether a lizard dwells outside or inside by the following factors.
1. Size
The size of the lizard dropping depends on the size of the lizard. House lizards are typically smaller than wild ones. Their poop size will be roughly ¼ inch long and ⅛ inch wide. If you find lizard droppings larger than that, there might be an outdoor lizard in your house!
2. Appearance
Lizard poop has a pellet shape. But, while house lizard droppings have round and tapered ends, outdoor lizards have slightly sharp ones. Their poop might also be in a distorted shape.
3. Colors
The color of a lizard dropping largely depends on its diet. If a lizard mainly eats insects, its poop will be dark. Meanwhile, if the lizard eats grass, vegetables, or even fruits, its poop will be light and squishy.
Usually, house lizards feast on insects like cockroaches and ants. However, wild lizards consume grass regularly. So, finding a light green or brown lizard dropping means the visitor has come from the wild.
Does Lizard Poop Always Have a White Tip?
Lizards are reptiles, and all reptiles have the same excretory system. They have one opening (called Cloaca) to excrete both urine and fecal matter. So, although it appears that lizards don’t urinate, they do it in a different way.
It may seem logical that lizards use the same opening to pee and poop at different times. But that’s not the case either.
When a lizard excretes, it always does both things together. It’s why there’s always a white tip of lizard droppings. The white tip is the nitrogenous waste material (uric acid crystals and potassium salts).
It comes out in a partly solidified form because lizards retain almost 95 percent of the moisture during the digestion and absorption process. This makes the poop dry and the white tip a little wet.
How Often Do Lizards Poop?
It’s hard to predict how frequently a lizard will poop. On average, an adult lizard will excrete anywhere from 1 to 7 times a week. That’s about once a week to once a day!
However, juvenile lizards will poop at least once every 2 to 3-days. It’s because they are in a growing phase and so, their food consumption is more.
Sometimes, the lizard will poop for the sake of communication. For example, if a male lizard wants to establish his territory, he will poop to let other male lizards know that the place is no longer available.
With that said, you can find lizard droppings in all places. These creatures don’t poop at a specific place. They will excrete wherever they feel like. This means floors, walls, countertops, and all other house surfaces are in great danger!
What’s the Difference Between Rat & Lizard Poop?
Lizard poop is very different from rat poop. Rats have large, shiny black droppings that are between ½ to ¾ inch long. Bigger rodents may have larger poops.
It’s also very thick and resembles jelly beans. Comparatively, lizard droppings are small, thin, and long. They have rounded edges and may look like a worm. You will also never find them to be shiny.
Lizards always leave behind dull blackish-brown dung. The color may be light if the reptile consumes greens more often. Meanwhile, rat droppings are never brown or green. It will lighten to the extent of gray, but not more than that.
What’s the Difference Between Mouse & Lizard Poop?
Many people consider mice and rats to be the same, but they are not. Although both of them are classified as rodents, a mouse is smaller and more slender than a rat. It also has a hair-covered, long tail that a rat lacks.
But having a mouse or rat in your house is equally bad news (worse than a lizard). So, you should know the difference between mouse and lizard poop.
Unlike lizards, mice excrete small and round poop. It has a slight bulge in the middle with no corners or edges. Perhaps, the only similarity is its size. Mouse poop is one-fourth to one-eighth inch long, which is the same as lizard droppings.
However, a mouse dropping will never have a white tip. It’s because mice have separate openings for feces and urine. They never discharge both things from the same opening.
How Do You Clean Lizard Poop?
Lizard poop shouldn’t be left in your home. It contains dangerous bacteria that can spread into the environment and enter your system. This means diseases and illnesses!
So, if you notice lizard droppings anywhere in the house, use any of these methods to clean them up immediately. Please wear a mask and gloves to protect yourself from the excrement germs.
1. Use a Vacuum Cleaner
The vacuum cleaner is the most safest and effective way to clean lizard droppings. Just run the vacuum over the lizard droppings, and the air will suck them out of the surface. You won’t have to go near the poop at all.
However, make sure to clean the vacuum head afterward. If you continue to use the same one over other surfaces, the germs of lizard droppings will spread everywhere. This will become more dangerous than leaving the droppings uncleaned!
2. Use a Moist Cloth
Lizard droppings are dry, which is why they stick to all surfaces easily (even the walls). So, another way to clean them is with a moist cloth. But make sure to wear gloves before.
First, soak a cloth or rag in water and squeeze out the excess. Then, rub it over the droppings to remove them. You can also add a little soap to the water to fasten the cleaning process. Once done, wipe the surface with another clean cloth and a disinfectant.
3. Use Baking Soda
Baking soda is known to clean the toughest stains and dirt. Its acidic and abrasive properties will lift lizard droppings too!
To clean, pour some detergent into a bowl of water and create a solution. Soak a clean rag or cloth in the soapy water and rub it over the lizard droppings. This should make them moist and wet.
Now, sprinkle some baking soda on them and leave for 10 to 15 minutes. Use a rag or a brush to scrub the surface. Once the droppings are dislodged from the surface, use the rag to dispose of them in the trash bin. Wipe the surface with a disinfectant.
Check out this video to learn more about cleaning lizard poop!
FAQs
What is the size of lizard poop?
Lizard droppings are generally small and pellet-shaped. Their size can range from a quarter inch to one-eighth of an inch. Whatever the size is, there will always be a white tip on the end.
Can you get sick from lizard poop?
Yes, you can get sick from lizard poop. It’s because the feces contain Salmonella bacteria that spreads rapidly through direct and indirect contact. If there are a lot of uncleaned lizard droppings in your house or you accidentally touched one, quickly clean it to avoid developing infections and diseases like diarrhea.
Where do house lizards poop?
House lizards don’t poop at certain spaces, nor do they think before pooping. These nasty reptiles will poop anywhere and anytime. It’s why you are likely to find lizard droppings in the most random places, like walls and furniture.
Final Thoughts
Lizards are a nuisance in the house. They are dangerous and toxic reptiles that can spread a lot of diseases. To make things worse, their fast movement and good hiding ability make them hard to spot.
If you suspect the presence of a lizard in your house, it’s important to look for their droppings (that’s the only proof they leave behind!). Remember that it will always have a pellet shape with a white squishy tip.
The color and size may vary depending on the type. And, if your suspicion turns out to be correct, call the house pest control services at once. Otherwise, they will soon multiply, and you will have a house pest problem!