Rodents cause numerous problems for residents hence are despised by communities across Canada. Mice and rats are primary rodents responsible for those problems and in North America most prominent members of the rodent family is house mouse, deer mouse and Norway Rats or Norwegian Rats. Rats are little bigger than a mouse hence comparison is apparent in terms of their size, structure, and degree of destruction they can cause. Here we will differentiate them to decide which one is more harmful to human. In the meanwhile you should call an expert pest control like BBPP, the most competent and affordable mice control services Thornhill if your home is already infested by either of them.
Mice vs Rats
Size
The most glaring difference between them is the size. Rats are big in weight and size and they have a thicker tail than mouse. Rats can grow up to 15-18.5 inches from head to tail and weight from 14-24 ounces. Mouse weighs less than an ounce and can grow up to 7 inches.Rats’ droppings are fewer amounting to 20-50 where as smaller mice drop 40-100.
Head
Mice have pointy snout which is triangular in shape and it has two whiskers that they use to move around in dark. Rats have blunt snout which is many times bigger than mouse.
Ears
Mice have large ears and they are droopy. Rats have smaller and flat ears which are round and large.
Tail
Mice have tails that are scaly and hair, where as rats tails are hairless, long and smooth and are pink in comparison to mice.
Differences in behavior& traits
- Both exercise different set of behavior. Mice being are aggressive and territorial and they don’t mingle with others. Rats are social animals and interact with each other beautifully. Mice though smaller are big in thinking and are curious. They fall in to traps because they are curious about anything that makes a sudden appearance in the environment. Rats on the other hand are cautious creatures and avoid getting involved in unfamiliar situations.
- Mice are agile and highly competent in climbing thus are able to access lofty places like your attic. Being tiny they are able to squeeze into micro holes and access your rooms. Rats on the other hand prefer to inhabit lower levels and prefer to live in basement and crawl spaces.
- Both differ in eating habits and diet and rats being bigger are able to consume more food than the smaller mice. Rats feed on meat, cheese, pet food, fish etc which is protein based, and mice eat nuts, seeds, fruits, cereals, peanut butter, cheese cookies etc.
- Reproduction rate for both mice and rats are alarming. In a year mice can produce up to 150 babies or more. Rats can produce 75 babies a year. Average lifespan of rats is two and half years, and mice can live up to 2 years.
Your home is not built for this kind of birthing rates so it is advised that you call an expert mice extermination team like BBPP, the best pest control service Thornhill and also for other towns nearby. You can contact them on phone number 647-910-6315 or send mail to info@bbppcanada.com and get an affordable free quote.