Also known as brown rat sewer rat water rat gray rat house rat and wharf rat color.
House mouse vs roof rat.
Identifying the rodent type.
However just as a weed is a plant in the wrong place a pest is a pet you didn t ask for.
As you can see the biggest difference is size.
The snout of the rat is more blunt than that of the.
The norway rat lives mostly in burrows while the roof rat nests in walls attics and trees.
If rats do not get this in the food they eat they have to find water.
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.
The tail on a rat will also be longer and thicker comparatively.
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.
Norway rat small eyes small ears stocky short hairless tail.
However rats may grow to be as long as 40 cm or more and weigh considerably more than mice.
A mouse tends to be a bit smaller in weight and length while a rat will typically be both heavier and longer.
A typical house mouse is small and black or gray with large ears tiny black eyes and a 3 to 4 inch long hairless tail.
2 3 months gestation process.
6 12 per litter no.
When domesticated they are clean intelligent and docile.
Rat droppings are capsule shaped like ibuprofen caplets and about inch in length.
23 days litter size.
Roof rat large eyes large ears slender longer hairless tail.
1 2 to 1 lb 10 17 oz length including tail.
House mouse small all the way around with a tail as coated with fur as the rest of its body.
How to identify a rodent a mouse in the house a rat in the roof.
Steady eater but afraid of new.
Droppings are typically found around where these creatures eat.
Rats need 1 2 to one ounce of fluid each day.
Average 4 7 per year feeding habits.
Mouse vs rat the main difference between these two rodent types is size.
Adults usually range from 6 to 7 inches long including the tail and weigh a mere to 1 ounce.
Thick or stocky body.
Rat size matters the typical house mouse mus musculus is anywhere from two to four inches in length as opposed to the common and much larger norway rat which measures seven to nine inches in length.
Rats are medium sized to large rodents.
Their coats are white gray brown or black in color and are often soiled enough to leave grease marks on touched surfaces.
Unlike mice which rarely burrow rats will dig under buildings along fences and under plants and debris.
How to identify a rodent.
Mice and rats can make excellent pets.
Rats grow to a body of 8 inches and a tail of 9 inches and a weight of almost a pound.
Blunt nose short ears sexual maturity.