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Rats vs. Mice – How to tell the difference

So, you’ve found evidence of rodents in your home or business, maybe some droppings, or gnaw marks on wood or electrical wires. You may even hear them scurrying around and squeaking at night. But how do you determine which type of rodent is leaving behind this trail of clues? Read on to find out how to spot the sometimes-subtle differences between the tell-tale signs of the most common rodent intruders.

RATS

  • Small ears
  • Nocturnal in nature
  • White, brown, gray or black in color
  • Produce 20-50 droppings per day
  • Droppings are banana shaped with blunt ends, ranging between .03-.08”
  • Can leave grease marks along baseboards or walls where their fur hits the surface
  • Long, thicker tails, usually hairless and scaly
  • Snout is shorter and blunter in shape
  • Larger bodied creatures, 6-15.75” in length and about 5.3-10.6oz in weight
  • Consume more food than mice because they are larger bodied creatures
  • Can produce 5-10 pups per litter, and each female can produce 3-6 litters per year

MICE

  • Large rounded ears
  • Nocturnal and territorial in nature
  • White, brown or gray in color with lighter colored bellies
  • Produce 40-100 droppings per day
  • Droppings are small with sharp pointed ends, ranging from .01-.31”
  • Droppings are soft and brown when fresh, will turn dark and brittle as they age
  • Long, thin hairy tails
  • Triangular pointed snouts with long whiskers
  • Small in size, 1-4” in length and about .4-1.6oz in weight
  • Consume less food than rats because they are smaller bodied creatures
  • Can produce 4-16 pups per litter, and each female can produce 7-8 litters per year

If you don’t get a chance to catch a visual look of the rodent intruder, it may be difficult to determine which rodent is taking up residence in your home or business. If you are unsure of what is invading your space, the experts at Richland Pest & Bee Control can help. We can inspect your property to look for signs of an infestation and will provide you with a customized treatment plan to address your specific issues.

Rats Vs. Mice Infographic
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