Everyone knows that squirrels are evil and use their cuteness to get away with murder. However, they’re also quite good at sneaking into your home, especially the attic. It can be difficult to tell what’s skittering about, but if you find some poop, the mystery is much easier to solve.
Let’s take a closer look at squirrel droppings and discuss how to identify it, compare it to the feces of other critters, and briefly cover how to remove it.
Related: How to Get Rid of Squirrels (and Keep Them Away)
What Does Squirrel Poop Look Like?
Squirrel droppings are easily identified upon close inspection. Here are some of the telltale features:
Shape and Size
Squirrel feces is oval-shaped, measuring around 3/8 inches long with a diameter of 1/8 inch. This diameter shrinks slightly as you get closer to the tips. Chipmunk droppings are very similar, but smaller.
Color and Consistency
Fresh scat is dark brown in color and will fade to a lighter shade as it dries out and ages. It has a smooth appearance as opposed to the more grainy appearance of many other rodents.
What’s In It?
Nuts are the favored food of this critter, and their poop may contain tiny fragments of shell if the squirrel is a messy eater. Tree squirrels may also have traces of wood in their feces. As a ground squirrel nest is located underground or in ground-level hollows, their feces lacks any wood content.
Smell
While we wouldn’t suggest holding a piece of squirrel poop up to your nose to sniff it, this might be the only time you’d notice any scent. The smell fades as the poop dries out and turns lighter shades.
When there’s a significant buildup, you might discover the poop gives off a slight musky or nutty odor.
Location
You will usually find squirrel poop near their entry points. It’s far less likely to find the poop where they might be nesting, and they’re not in the habit of raiding your kitchen like mice or rats.
Squirrel Poop vs Other Animal Droppings
Squirrel droppings are most often confused with rat droppings, so let’s take a moment to compare the two. Then we’ll sum up other common critters with a chart.
Squirrel or Rat?
At first glance, squirrel and rat feces are quite similar. When fresh, they are nearly the same color, with rat droppings having a slightly smaller diameter. While not always easy to spot unless side-by-side, fresh rat poop is slightly darker and may even be nearly black. It also fades in color at a slower rate than squirrel poop.
Another telltale difference is the ends. Squirrels leave rounded ends on their pellets whereas rat droppings are tapered. Finally, rat feces has a more textured appearance when examined with a magnifying glass, while squirrels have smooth poop.
See Also: Our 7 Favorite Squirrel Traps and Repellents
Comparison Chart
| Animal | Size | Shape | Contents | Odor |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Squirrel | 3/8" long, 1/8" diameter | Oblong pellets | May contain traces of wood or nuts | Mild, earthy smell |
| Bat | 0.125" to 0.5" long | Tubular, segmented | Insect debris for insectivores, seeds for fruit bats, or dried blood for vampire bats | Pungent, musky odor |
| Chipmunk | 1/4" to 3/8" long | Cylindrical with tapered ends | Berries, seeds, plant matter | Mild, earthy smell |
| Domestic Cat | 1" long, 1/2" diameter | Segmented | Less likely to contain food remnants | Pungent, distinct odor |
| Fox | 2-3" long, 1/2" diameter | Rope-like or twisted, segmented, tapered ends | Fur, bones, or other prey remnants | Slightly pungent |
| Opossum | 1-2" long, 3/4" diameter | Elongated, tubular, slight curve | Fruits, insects, and other soft foods | Mild odor |
| Rabbit | Less than 1" | Round pellets | Plant matter | Mild odor |
| Raccoon | 2-3" long, 3/4" diameter | Tubular, segmented | Seeds, berries, garbage, or debris | Mild odor |
| Skunk | 1-2" long, 1/2" diameter | Tubular, segmented | Seeds, insect parts, fur, or feathers | Slight musky odor |
| Snake | (S) 1-2" long, < 0.5" diameter (M) 1-3" long, 0.4-0.8" diameter (L) ≤ 12" long, 0.8-1.6" diameter | Smooth, oblong, soft or runny | Fur, bones, feathers, or other prey remnants | Faint odor to pungent |
| Weasel | 1-2" long, 1/4" diameter | Elongated, tubular, often twisted/curved, tapered ends | Fur, bones, or other prey remnants | Musty or slightly pungent |
Are Squirrel Droppings Dangerous?
Fecal matter of any sort can contain a number of health risks, and squirrel poop is no exception. While not nearly as dangerous to humans as some other critters, there are a few things to watch out for.
Parasites
- Fleas – While a flea isn’t likely to hang around poop for very long, their undigested eggs might be present if the squirrel swallowed any while grooming.
- Ticks – Like fleas, ticks much prefer a warm body but may end up near fecal matter if dislodged or looking for a host. Ticks are far more dangerous, though, as many species carry Lyme disease.
Bacterial and Viral Diseases
- Leptospirosis – While easily mistaken for a coronavirus or influenza (cold or flu), this infection can eventually damage the liver and kidneys or even cause organ failure if not diagnosed and treated early on.
- Rabies – Okay, so the stories of squirrels with rabies is mostly heresay with anecdotal evidence. However, it’s still worth being cautions in the off-chance you could encounter the first confirmed case.
- Salmonella – This common bacteria is often associated with food poisoning. While causing only minor discomfort or brief illness in healthy adults, salmonella can be deadly to small children and those with an impaired immune system.
Odor and Property Damage
Unlike a lot of larger critters, squirrel droppings aren’t overly smelly until you get a buildup. They might give off a faint musty or earthy smell, while the paler, dried feces often loses its odor.
Urine is more destructive to your home than the feces. However, waste products of any sort can invite a whole host of potential pest infestations that might do damage of their own.
See Also: How to Keep Flying Squirrels Out of Your Attic or Walls
What to Do If You Find Squirrel Droppings
If someone in your household finds squirrel poop on your property, here’s what I typically recommend:
- Keep pets and children from the droppings to prevent accidental contact.
- Properly gear up with protective clothing, gloves, and a mask so you don’t come into direct contact.
- You may either vacuum the feces or remove it by hand. Be sure to dispose of the bag or cannister contents safely.
- Clean and disinfect all tools and contaminated areas using a solution with a ratio of 1:10 bleach to water.
- Seal potential entry points and take any other preventative measures necessary to keep the squirrels out of your home.
- When in doubt, you may wish to hire a professional. Pest control services are often cheaper than repairing any damage a critter can cause over time.
Morgan is a certified entomologist and pest control consultant and a member of the National Pest Management Association.
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