Distinction Between Rat and Mouse

When we look with inexperienced eyes, rats and mice look the same, right? But it’s not so, and there are many obvious differences in their looks as well as in their pattern of behavior. The only similarity is that they both are a rodent. They both have incisors that can never stop growing, which is why they keep chewing on things and make a mess when they enter your house or business buildings in Oklahoma City. The best way to keep both of these rodents away is by calling rodent control. Let’s talk about all the differences between a mouse and a rat.

Difference in Size

The simplest way to distinguish between a mouse and a rat is by looking at their size. Mice are usually smaller than rats, but if you see a young rat and a big mouse, then you might get confused between both of them. The smallest size of a house mouse can be 3-10 cm long while their body length can be 16-40 cm. You can distinguish an adult mouse from a young rat by looking at their ears. The ear of the mouse is going to be bigger than that of a rat. Also, a young rat has larger feet than a mouse. The professionals in rodent control have the proper knowledge about rodents and can distinguish them at a single glance.

Their Eating Habits

They both are known to be omnivorous, but in general, they prefer different types of food. Brown rats prefer cereals and grains and usually tend to search for food in the same place. They can even drink 60ml of water a day. In contrast, black rats prefer moist food and do not search for food in the same place twice. Mice, on the other hand, prefer cereals, so if you have cereals lying around, they are going to nibble on them. You can keep a check on that area because they will come back again. You should contact rodent control services in that case and get permanent relief.

Breeding

New-born, both the rodents are hairless, blind, and completely dependent on their mother for feeding. Both of them can do a lot of litter, though a baby mouse can mature within 8-12 weeks while a rat baby can mature in 10-12 weeks. The rodent control services have professionals who can catch them with their tools.

Some Animals Who are Mistaken as Rodents

There are some animals that are mistaken as rodents; some of them are:

  • Bats

  • Opossums

  • Moles

  • Rabbits

  • Raccoons

Contact Mother Nature for Rodent Control Services

Here, at Mother Nature’s Pest & Lawn, we have experts that have the right skills to exterminate all kinds of rodents from your home. If you need to eliminate mice/rats, then contact us today!