How To Catch Ditto In Pokemon GO

Pokemon GO Ditto is an elusive transforming blob that has driven many players up the wall while trying to find one. That's because, in Pokemon GO, the Transform Pokemon disguises itself as other beasties in the wild. Either you want one and can't find them, as is the case for plenty of Special Research tasks, or the pesky pink blob takes the place of the disguise Pokemon you were trying to capture, and you're left with a Ditto you didn't ask for.
But, for those of you who are looking for a heap of pink slime, we've got you covered. Here's everything you need to know about how to catch a Ditto in Pokemon GO, and all the possible Pokemon GO Ditto disguises.
- Need to brush up on your type matchups? We've got a convenient Pokemon GO type chart to help you!
How To Catch A Pokemon GO Ditto

The trouble with Ditto is, of course, the fact that it takes the form of other Pokemon. This makes it tough as you might not know where to turn to grab a Ditto. Plus, the transforming Pokemon can't be hatched from an egg, meaning you'll need to bag it out in the wild. But, if you've got some intuition, you might know where to turn first.
Thankfully there's a shortlist of Pokemon GO Ditto disguises, so you'll know which Pokemon to hunt for in the chance it turns into a Ditto.
How To Catch Ditto In Pokemon GO: Disguises

Ditto doesn't disguise itself as just anyone. There is a set list of Pokemon it uses for a disguise, and they sometimes change. Consider these Pokemon your 'target Pokemon' — they're the ones you're looking for. If it's actually a Ditto, it'll say "Oh?" after you catch it, and it'll transform back into its true self.
Here's the list of current Ditto disguises in Pokemon GO:
- Ekans
- Gastly
- Natu
- Surskit
- Finneon
- Lillipup
- Dwebble
- Swirlix
The best suggestion we can offer to weed out the Dittos from the targets is to go nuts catching, keep an eye on your nearby list and lay down some lures, as they can be used to rope the blobby beasts in.
Practically, there's not much advice that can be offered from there, but that list of Pokemon will be crucial to finding Dittos in the wild — as at least you know which Pokemon won't yield one.
- Ditto can be a huge pain to find. Check out our list of the other rarest Pokemon in Pokemon GO.
How To Catch Ditto In Pokemon GO: Shiny Ditto

So, what's the story with shiny Ditto? It's fairly simple.
- If Ditto is disguised as a Pokemon and that Pokemon is shiny, it will remain that Pokemon and never become a Ditto
- For example, if a shiny Gastly you encounter should turn into a Ditto (because it's a Ditto spawn for everyone else), it won't. It's just a shiny Gastly for you now
- Any Ditto disguise, shiny or not, can become a shiny Ditto. If you catch a Ditto disguised as a non-shiny Gastly, the Ditto itself can be shiny or non-shiny
It seems that these rules don't apply in Field Research task encounters. For some strange reason, shiny Pokemon obtained in Field Research encounters can transform back into Ditto, so be careful.