Rats vs Mice in Your House FAQ’s



Do you ever hear the sounds of little footsteps at night? Tiny feet running across your floors or between the walls? It’s not just in your head.

You could be dealing with a rodent infestation. If you suspect you could be harboring some unwanted house guests, you should know how to identify them. Keep reading to learn the signs of a pest problem and the difference between rats vs mice in your house.

Rats vs Mice In Houses: Which Is Worse?

To properly answer this question, we first need to address the problems with each creature. When it comes to rats vs mice size, mice are quite small weighing around half of an ounce. Their tiny statue allows them to squeeze through tight areas as small as a dime.

Mice are adept at climbing, jumping, and swimming, so they have many means of making it into your home and surviving there. Once you have a mouse problem, it’s difficult to get rid of on your own.

As for baby mice vs baby rats, a baby rat could be mistaken for a full-grown mouse. As they age, rats become large, aggressive and destructive. While mice will ransack your food pantry, rats can cause industrial damage.

Rats are less curious than mice, so you’re less likely to see them, but you may notice marks left behind by their fur or droppings. Rats are a worse problem than mice as they can cause undetected property damage for years before they are found.

Rats vs Mice Differences and Similarities

Both rodents can carry serious diseases like Lassa fever, Leptospirosis, Plague, Salmonellosis, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, and bring fleas into your home. They leave droppings everywhere they go, which helps spread these illnesses.

Both animals are omnivores. Mice tend to eat grains, nuts, seeds, vegetables, fruit, and sometimes the bodies of other deceased mice. Rats don’t have as crab-heavy a diet and gravitate toward fish, meat, cheese, pet food, but will feast on whatever they can find.

While rats are bigger and more hostile, they are more likely to hide in attics or crawlspaces. Mice will take shelter near humans, so long as they can safely reach the sources they need to live.

Rats vs Mice Droppings: Which Is Which?

It’s not always easy to tell the difference between rat poop vs mice poop, but they are ways to tell which is which. Mouse droppings are small, dark brown/black, and typically around ¼ inch long with tapered ends. Rat droppings are a similar color but larger, around ¾ inch, with square ends.

How Is Rodent Control Different For Mice vs Rats?

As we’ve established, mice can fit through incredibly small gaps and target different areas of the home and foods than rats. Controlling an infestation of mice in your home involves sealing any entry sites they could use to access your home, eliminating food sources, storing firewood outside, and placing traps where they are most active.

As for rats, you can try natural repellants like onions, peppers, and bay leaves. Food sources and entryways should be sealed off. Traps are not as easy to set because they don’t follow the same patterns as mice, but they can be placed near food.

Rats, Mice, Whatever They Are

We can get rid of them. If you suspect you have a rodent problem, even if your not sure if it is rats vs mice, we can help you. At Avon Pest Control, we service homes and commercial buildings throughout the Metro Vancouver area.

You can contact us here to learn more about our services or schedule a free consultation.