Ditto is one of the trickiest Pokémon to catch in Pokémon Go because it does not appear as Ditto on the map. Instead, it hides behind the appearance of another species.
When you tap a possible disguise, it remains that Pokémon until you catch it. The reveal comes afterwards: an “Oh?” message appears, followed by the transformation into Ditto if the encounter was successful.
Ditto’s disguise pool changes periodically, so knowing the current list is essential when you are hunting for one—or hoping to find a shiny. For more gaming news and guides, visit RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog.
Pokémon Go Ditto disguises in August 2026
Following the “Completely Normal” event, Ditto can currently be hiding as any of the following Pokémon. This disguise list has applied since 23 September 2025:
- Mankey
- Growlithe
- Magnemite
- Voltorb
- Sentret
- Teddiursa
- Seedot
- Surskit
- Slakoth
- Whismur
- Duskull
When Ditto hunting, catch every possible disguise you encounter rather than relying on its appearance. The Pokémon will only be identified as Ditto after the catch attempt.
Thanks to Grass Cat of PokeMiners and Leek Duck for helping confirm the list.
How to find shiny Ditto in Pokémon Go
Shiny hunting has one important safeguard: if a Pokémon that could be a Ditto appears shiny, it will not turn out to be Ditto. You can catch it without worrying that the shiny encounter has been lost.
A shiny Ditto can appear from any successful Ditto encounter, so finding one comes down to luck. The shiny rate is higher than usual; research from The Silph Road estimated the odds at approximately one in 64. You can read that research via Wayback Machine.
That means the practical strategy is simple: check the listed disguises and catch them whenever possible. If you are also comparing different ways to enjoy games at home, RETROCADE’s Arcade Machine Buying Guide covers the basics of choosing a cabinet, while the Arcade Machines range offers another kind of gaming setup.
Shiny Ditto first became available through a paid Special Research Task set during the 2021 Kanto Tour. It is now available as a regular encounter instead.
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