While there are several species of rats and mice i will examine the two most common ones the roof or black rat and the house mouse both seen in the above photograph.
Roof rat vs house mouse.
Droppings are typically found around where these creatures eat.
2 3 months gestation process.
These mice have a light brown body with some gray shading and a dark tail.
Also known as brown rat sewer rat water rat gray rat house rat and wharf rat color.
They are social and territorial and tend to be bolder than rats.
30 to 45 cm 12 18 body.
They can have 3 to 6 litters per year.
The house mouse mus musculus norway rat rattus norvegicus and roof rat rattus rattus species are in the muridae family which is the largest family of rodents and mammals in the world.
Rats grow to a body of 8 inches and a tail of 9 inches and a weight of almost a pound.
The roof rat is the smaller of the two and it is often mistaken for a mouse due to their large ears and pointed noses.
The snout of the rat is more blunt than that of the.
Roof rat large eyes large ears slender longer hairless tail.
1 2 to 1 lb 10 17 oz length including tail.
The most common species of mouse found homes is the aptly named house mouse.
Rats are medium sized to large rodents.
House mice are nocturnal creatures.
These rodents are grayish brown in color with a light yellow underside.
The most common rats found in or near homes are the norway rat and the roof rat.
Habits of each rodent.
Of these rodent species which one is worse to have in your home.
House mouse small all the way around with a tail as coated with fur as the rest of its body.
Average 4 7 per year feeding habits.
Families of mice consist of one dominant male several females and their young.
Roof rats typically have litters of 5 to 10 babies.
Let s explore the rat vs mouse debate and decide.
Thick or stocky body.
A norway rat has capsule shaped feces while a roof rat has spindle shaped droppings and a house mouse has rod shaped excrement.
A roof rat will be colored brown or black and if you have ever had the opportunity to view one up close or even hold it you would see and feel that the fur is very soft and smooth.
Small head small feet pointed snout large ears with some hair.
Their coats are white gray brown or black in color and are often soiled enough to leave grease marks on touched surfaces.
6 12 per litter no.
They are curious and will explore new things making them easier to trap.
However rats may grow to be as long as 40 cm or more and weigh considerably more than mice.
As you can see the biggest difference is size.
So if rats and mice have found food around your home you might find their droppings in the kitchen as well as the attic or other places they hide.
They reach maturity in about 7 to 8 weeks.
Roof rats this species is agile and slender though roof rats are about the same length as norway rats.
Rats live in similar colony structures.
Steady eater but afraid of new.