Pest Droppings Identification Guide

What Different Pest Droppings Look Like and What They Mean

Let’s be honest. Finding droppings from any animal, in any place but the toilet makes for a crappy discovery (pun intended).

However, when it comes to pest infestation, it can be an unexpected upside. Gross, yes. Helpful, also yes.

Droppings are one of the easiest ways to quickly identify the pest you are dealing with, determine how long it has been present, and assess the severity of the problem. Most pests are not going to leave a business card. They leave this.

At Urban Desert Pest Control, we do rodent identification, rodent control, and exclusion all over Phoenix and the surrounding metro area. Droppings are one of the first things we look for because they tell us what is happening, even when the pest is staying hidden.

Here is a simple guide to the most common droppings we find in Arizona homes and where they usually show up.

Rodent Droppings Identification

Pack Rat (Woodrat) Droppings

• Appearance: Larger pellets with blunt ends
• Size: About ½ inch
• Color: Dark brown to black
• Common Locations: Garages, sheds, attics, wall voids, storage boxes
• Key Clue: Found near hoarded piles of sticks, insulation, trash, and random stuff

Pack rats are basically the junk drawer of the rodent world. If you find droppings next to a pile of weird, collected items, it is probably a pack rat. They are very common in Phoenix neighborhoods, and they love chewing on wiring, which is often attached to cars, A/C units and pool equipment.  Pack rat infestation can get expensive fast.

Roof Rat Droppings

• Appearance: Curved pellets with pointed ends
• Size: Around ½ inch
• Common Locations: Attics, rafters, ceiling spaces, rooftops, palm trees
• Key Clue: Droppings found above ground level

Roof rats are athletic. If you find droppings up high, they are not coming from a ground dweller. Roof rats love attics, trees, and anything that gives them a way to travel without touching the floor.

Sewer Rat (Norway Rat) Droppings

• Appearance: Thick, capsule-shaped pellets
• Size: ¾ inch or larger
• Common Locations: Crawl spaces, yards, garages, near drains, near plumbing
• Key Clue: Strong odor and lots of droppings in one area

Sewer rats are not subtle. If you are seeing large droppings in heavy volume, especially near water or plumbing, this is usually the one. These rats often get in through broken sewer lines or underground entry points, which is why rodent smoke tests can be a necessary part of rodent control.  If there’s a broken or open pipe, sewer rats will consider it an invitation to come inside.

House Mouse Droppings

• Appearance: Small, rice-sized pellets with pointed ends
• Size: ⅛ to ¼ inch
• Common Locations: Kitchens, pantries, cabinets, drawers, garages
• Key Clue: Droppings scattered everywhere

Mouse droppings are small, but they show up fast. If you see them in multiple rooms, that usually means the mice are not just visiting. They are settled in. And mice breed quickly, so waiting rarely makes this better.

Kangaroo Rat Droppings

• Appearance: Small oval pellets, similar to mice but more uniform
• Common Locations: Garages, outdoor storage, desert-adjacent properties
• Key Clue: Found near exterior walls or open ground

Kangaroo rats are common near desert areas and washes. They tend to move closer to structures during extreme heat. Usually, they show up in garages or storage areas first. They are not as “indoors-y” as mice, but they still cause damage when they get in.

Ground Squirrel Droppings

• Appearance: Larger rounded pellets
• Size: Up to ¾ inch
• Common Locations: Yards, gardens, near burrow entrances
• Key Clue: Almost always outdoors

If you see these, it is probably a ground squirrel. The droppings usually stay outside, but the burrowing can cause serious yard and foundation damage if it gets out of hand.

Insect and Reptile Droppings

Lizard Droppings

• Appearance: Dark pellet with a white tip
• Common Locations: Patios, garages, window sills, exterior walls
• Key Clue: The white tip is uric acid, which is unique to reptiles

Lizard droppings can be annoying, but they also usually mean there is plenty of insect activity nearby. Lizards go where the food is.

Cricket Droppings

• Appearance: Tiny black specks that look like pepper or coffee grounds
• Common Locations: Baseboards, garages, laundry rooms
• Key Clue: Often mistaken for dirt

If you are sweeping up “mystery pepper” near baseboards, it might not be dirt. Crickets leave these specks behind, and they usually show up when there is moisture, light or an entry gap.

Why Pest Droppings Matter

Droppings are not just gross. They are important because:

• They can carry bacteria and parasites
• The shape and size help identify the pest
• The amount tells you how active the infestation is
• Correct identification saves time and prevents wasted treatments

A lot of pest control mistakes happen because someone treats the wrong pest and then wonders why nothing changes.

Rodent Control in Phoenix: Why Urban Desert Pest Control

At Urban Desert Pest Control, we focus on the whole problem. Not just what you see on the floor.

We identify the pest, locate where it is coming from, and help stop it at the source. That is how you get long-term results, especially with pack rats, roof rats, sewer rats, and mice.

• Rodent identification and exclusion specialists
• Entry point detection
• Sewer line related rodent issues
• Pack rat, roof rat, and sewer rat experts
• Pet-safe, effective pest control solutions
• One of Arizona’s highest-rated pest control companies on Yelp

Found droppings and not sure what they are?

If you're looking for genuine answers, we can help. Contact Urban Desert Pest Control for a free rodent inspection. We offer pest, termite, and rodent control in Phoenix and the surrounding metro area.