Rodents in the home conjure up strong reactions for many of us. Though some people are not bothered by the sight of a rat or mouse, there are others among us who run away screaming – much like the female character on Tom & Jerry.
If you have a rat or mouse infestation in your home, you might notice these critters scratching in your attic, scurrying across the floor, or climbing up a wall or pipe. And these are nocturnal creatures, so all these activities probably happen at night – just the time when you’re more likely to be frightened. If you’ve noticed rodents in or around your home, your first step is to try to figure out exactly what they are. Knowing the differences between rats and mice can help you determine the most appropriate eradication tactics.
Differences Between Rats and Mice
Rats and mice have a lot of similar features, but there are some distinct characteristics as well. Once you know the differences between rats and mice, you can determine which rodent is living in and around your home, and what to do next.
Appearance
The biggest difference between mice and rats is size. Regardless of the type of rat or mouse, rats are larger than mice. Mice are two and a half to four inches long on average, and rats can range from seven inches to a foot long.
Though it is possible to confuse an immature rat with an adult mouse, there are specific physical features that are distinct as well. Mice have large ears where rats have small ears. Mice have long, thin tails covered in hair, and rats have equally long, thick tails with no hair. Mice have lighter hair on their stomachs. Rats have very coarse hair on their backs. Rats have large feet, where mice have smaller feet.
Since they move so quickly, it might be difficult to notice all these features. However, you could choose just one to look for. Big ears or small ears? Big feet or small feet? Try to find one distinguishing feature when you catch a glimpse.
And one more difference in appearance, so to speak: rat and mouse feces have distinct features as well. And since feces generally don’t move once they are dropped, you might have more luck identifying the type of rodent by examining the feces. Given their difference in size, mouse droppings are smaller than rat droppings. Both are granular in shape and dark brown or black in color, but mouse droppings have pointed ends whereas rat droppings are curved (like a banana).
Behavior
Rats and mice have some distinct behaviors that might clue you in to what kind of rodent you have. Mice are inquisitive creatures that will explore anything new in their path. Rats are routine-oriented and take quite a bit of time to explore new areas. Trying out some kind of bait and trap might help you determine the type of rodent you’re dealing with. If you put the trap in the direct path of the rodent, a mouse will explore it immediately (and may be trapped). A rat will avoid it for some time until it becomes accustomed to it.
Rats can also cause greater damage than mice. Both rodents can chew through various materials, but rats can chew through extremely tough ones such as wood, metal, glass, cement, etc. And rats tend to burrow underground where mice do not, so they may wreak havoc outside your home as well as inside.
Eating habits
Rats and mice both have a strong preference for cereals and grains, but they really aren’t that picky – they’ll eat anything! However, if they do get into your stash of grains, the way they eat them might give you an idea as to what they are. Mice will cut remove the outer husk of a grain and just eat the endosperm inside. If you have mice, you may find a lot of grain husks laying around. Rats cut the grains when they are eating them, so the traces you find will look like the grains have been chopped. Rats are also different in that they need to drink water every day, where mice don’t. So you might notice them gathering around a water source in or outside your home.
Escorting out these uninvited guests
Rodents of any type are unwelcome intruders in your home. If you find them, don’t panic – use their differentiating features to figure out if you have rats or mice. With this information, you’ll be able to use tactics specific to the rodents you have, so you can get rid of them for good. If you have trouble removing them or just want to hand off the task, remember that ABC offers rodent control services. Contact us for an in-home estimate.