When it comes to tiny mammals that enter the home, you will most likely have to deal with rats and mice. The two species are very similar in many ways, but they do differ significantly in others. Let’s take a closer look at these two rodent species and what sets them apart.
Mice
Mice are small rodents, reaching lengths of up to 8 inches when you count the tail, and which enter the home in search for food, shelter and water. They can cause some havoc in the home, but the real damage that they do is to electrical wiring and insulation. On top of that, rats are known to spread dozens of diseases, some of them very dangerous, through their feces, urine, and through direct contact. In terms of food, they will eat pretty much anything, having a varied diet that consists of fruit, meats, fats, and sugars.
Rats
Rats are much larger than mice, to the point that the two species are very hard to confuse with each other. Even baby rats are about the same size as mature mice, and they can be identified because their heads are larger in proportion to their bodies. This size difference also affects the amount of damage that rats can do in the home. They have a similar behavior pattern to rats, but they can cause more damage faster. Rats are also capable of spreading diseases, and they share the same dietary staples as mice.
Control differences
Size also plays a role when it comes to control. Because rats are much larger than mice, you can’t really use a mouse trap to catch a rat. This is also true vice versa, because a mouse is likely to escape a rat trap. So it’s important to know which rodent species you are dealing with when you are implementing control procedures. Size may also play a role when it comes to poisons. If the poison is not dozed right, you might not be able to kill the target rodent, and instead you will just end up with very sick rats in your home. A pro will first perform an inspection to identify the species responsible for the infestation, before moving on to implementing a control procedure. If you would like to find out more about the differences between these two species, or if you have a rodent infestation in your home, contact us today.