What Does Lizard Poop Look Like??
What does lizard poop look like? Reptiles such as salamanders lizards and geckos love to hang around the house. You will find their poop on any surface including your bed, sofa set, and wardrobe among other places.
Certainly, these fecal droppings can create a disgusting mess in the house – particularly after a heavy meal. Sometimes, it difficult to differentiate lizard poop from that of rodents and birds.
So, how does lizard poop look like? Lizard poop appears as black droppings with a white substance on one end. The white matter shows the presence of uric acid and it’s excreted together with the solid waste.
This is because lizards use one opening (cloaca) to excrete solid waste and urine. The size of the droppings vary according to the size and species of the lizard. Related: What Does Leopard Gecko Eat?
[amazon bestseller=”Best Food for Lizards” items=”2″ template=”table”]What Does Lizard Poop Look Like??
1. Size
If you suspect you have lizards in the house check for black pellet-like droppings about ¼ inch long and 1/8 inch wide. Attached on one end of the poop is the urine crystal which is usually white in color. That’s because lizards poop and pee from the same opening (cloaca).
2. Shape
The droppings might be tapered or rounded at the ends and their size varies with the species and size of lizards. Normally, wild lizards have bigger droppings compared to urban lizards.
3. Color
Lizard poop can be easily be confused with poop from snakes, birds or rodents. Similar to lizards these pests, poop and pee through the same opening. Thus, their droppings contain solid matter and solid uric acid. However, the white cap in birds and snake poop covers a larger portion and tend to be more liquid.
Related: Are Leopard Geckos Nocturnal?
Where Do Lizards Poop?
According to a research done at the university of Antwerp, lizards exhibit some similarity in their choice of ‘toilet’. In the controlled experiment, 90 lizards were each placed in an enclosure with different sizes of rocks. Surprisingly, 80% of the lizards pooped on the largest rock.
It has been previously indicated that wall lizards communicate with their fecal droppings. Male lizards mark their territories with feces so that other males can keep off. So, defecating on the biggest rock suggested an attempt to make their signals as conspicuous as possible.
Another explanation for this is that lizards spend most of their time on large rocks, to have a good view of possible predators. The research doesn’t however conclude on the possible motivation for the observed behavior. But it suggests that lizards leave their poop in conspicuous areas as a sign of communication.
Is Lizard Poop Toxic?
Lizard feces are toxic because they spread zoonotic diseases such as salmonella. They contain certain disease-causing bacteria which can get into your body through ingestion, inhaling or open skin.
With proper hygiene it’s possible to reduce the risk and prevent infections from lizard droppings. If you have pet lizards, wash your hands with water and soap any time you handle them. Their cages should also be kept clean and free from fecal droppings. Use gloves every time you’re cleaning your pets’ cage.
If you have kids in your home, it’s not advisable to keep lizards or other reptiles as pets. That’s because you cannot completely restrain kids’ interaction with the pets.
Other diseases that can be transmitted from lizards to humans include Leptospirosis, botulism and Campylobacteriosis.
Lizard Poop versus Snake Poop
Lizard Poop: The diet of lizards is composed of small insects and arachnid. A few species include plants in their diet. They excrete small pellet-like feces the size of rodent feces.
The size of the droppings depend on the species and size of the lizard. The droppings have a small white portion which is fairly dry compared to those of snake poop.
Snake poop: Unlike lizard poop, snake poop is quite lose and has no defined shape. The white portion on the end of the poop is more liquid and relatively larger than that in lizard poop.
A snake feeds by swallowing their prey whole. So their poop contains the indigestible remains such as bones, teeth, hooves, hair and scales.
Related: What Does a Garden Lizard Eat?
How to Clean Lizard Poop Stain from fabrics
When handling any animal poop always wear gloves to avoid direct contact with disease-causing bacteria.
Scoop out the droppings with a scrapper or pick the droppings with a piece of cloth and dispose them in the trash bin or compost.
Stains left on fabrics and bedding by lizard poop can be cleaned using the following procedure.
- As a precaution, handle poop stains with a pair of protective gloves.
- Soak the garments for at least five hours with a stain remover of your choice. There good stain removers in the market which can also help remove the poop odor.
- Using the recommended water temperature for the fabric and an appropriate detergent, wash the garment until the stain disappears.
- Use a bleaching agent where necessary.
How to Remove Lizard Poop Stain from Carpet
To clean your carpet, you can either use commercial enzyme-based stain cleaners or prepare a DIY solution using vinegar and lukewarm water.
- Soak the carpet by spraying it with the solution. Do not over-soak you carpet. A little of the solution is just enough.
- Scrub thoroughly with soft brush to loosen the stain. Rub with a dry towel to absorb excess water and remove the stain.
- Leave the carpet to dry naturally or use a drier for faster drying.
How to Remove Lizard Poop Stains From Wooden Surfaces
First scoop out the droppings with a scrapper and dispose the stuff in the trash bin. Fresh poop is easier to remove than old poop.
- Drape the stained area with paper towels to absorb the stain completely.
- Now cover the stain with baking soda and allow to settle until morning. This will remove excess moisture and eradicate the stench in the stain.
- Clean the area with a wet cloth or vacuum cleaner.
- If the stain doesn’t disappear completely, clean the area with a cloth that has been soaked in white vinegar.
- Stains from old poop require a more effective cleaning agent such as hydrogen peroxide.
- Saturate the stain with undiluted hydrogen peroxide. For better results, soak a clean towel with hydrogen peroxide and place it on the stain. Leave it until morning.
- Clean the surface with a wet towel until it is dry.
- Some stains may discolor you wooden surfaces completely. In this case wood sanding may be necessary. Alternatively you can apply a stain similar to the color of your wooden surface.
Conclusion
Lizards can cause discomfort especially when they are in large numbers. Their fecal droppings are potential avenues for diseases such as salmonella.
The situation gets worse if you have other pests like rodents, birds among others. However, it’s possible to differentiate the types of pests in your house using their fecal droppings.
This makes it easier to trace them and use the correct pest eradication remedy. If you’re having trouble identifying the type of pest in your house, it’s the right time you contacted your local pest exterminator.
