Do You Have Rats or Mice?
Do you have rats or mice? Rats are medium-sized (with bodies longer than 12 cm), long-tailed rodents. Rats are typically distinguished from mice by their size. The house mouse is a small mammal (28–130 mm), characteristically having a pointed snout, large rounded ears, and a long and almost hairless tail.
There are 56 known species of rats in the world. The brown rat is nocturnal and is a good swimmer, both on the surface and underwater. It has been observed climbing slim, round metal poles several feet in order to reach garden bird feeders. Brown rats dig well, and often excavate extensive burrow systems.
House mice usually run, walk, or stand on all fours, but when eating, fighting, or orienting themselves, they rear up on their hind legs with additional support from the tail—a behavior known as “tripoding.” Mice are good jumpers, climbers, and swimmers, and are generally considered to be thigmotactic; i.e. usually attempt to maintain contact with vertical surfaces.
COMPARISON CHART
(source: “Mouse vs Rat.” Diffen.com. Diffen LLC, n.d. Web. 29 Oct 2022)
KEY INDICATORS OF A DANGEROUS RODENT INFESTATION IN THE HOME:
1. An actual rodent, dead or alive, is a telltale sign of a potential rat problem.
2. The presence of droppings around the home. Fresh droppings are soft and moist, whereas old droppings are hard and dried.
3. Gnaw marks, damaged goods, nests or greasy rub marks also indicates roof rat activity.
4. Noises in the attic or house walls and damaged electrical wires.
TO PREVENT A DANGEROUS RODENT INFESTATION:
1. Make sure all holes of larger diameter than a pencil are sealed.
2. Be sure that all windows and vents are screened.
3. Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away from the building and cut back limbs overhanging the roof.
4. Clean up fruit that may fall from trees in the yard and keep garbage in tightly covered receptacles.
5. Store pet food and other dry food in sealed containers.
6. Eliminate any outdoor sources of water such as leaky sprinkler heads, pet water dishes, and birdbaths.
Do you have rats or mice? We’d love to treat your property to help you control these critters! If you have questions or concerns, please contact us at ClearDefense Pest Control. We’d like to help!
See more info about rats and mice.
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