Difference Between Norway Rats & House Mice in Mount Laurel, NJ; Size, Droppings, Behavior & More

For most people, the thought of mice or rats in their home makes their skin crawl. Everyone knows they pose a huge health risk when they are left to live in the corners of your home. Not only are mice and rats a health risk, but they can cause a lot of damage to your property if they aren’t taken care of as well. When dealing with these rodents, it can be difficult to decipher whether you are dealing with one or the other. That’s why Ross Environmental Solutions is here to share some of the differences between rats and mice. Just because mice and rats are both rodents, doesn’t mean that they look and behave in the exact same way. There are several differences that set these two rodents apart. Following are a few of the ways they differ from each other.

Rodent Size

Most people don’t realize that a Norway rat can grow up to 16 inches long. This is considerably larger than a house mouse who is usually only 8 inches long from the tip of their head to the end of their tail. Norway rats are obviously going to weigh much more as well, coming in at 8 ounces on average while the house mouse can barely get up to one ounce in weight.

Rat & Mouse Appearance

While their size is different, there are a couple of other unmistakable differences in their appearance as well. The house mouse is usually a dark grey with a white belly. The Norway rat usually has brown hair that is scraggly and has a few black hairs mixed in there.

Rat & Mice Droppings

A house mouse leaves behind droppings that are about 1 cm long and have pointed ends. A Norway rat’s droppings are larger, 2 cm long, and have blunt ends. A house mouse also leaves behind far more droppings than a Norway rat.

Rodent Behavior

The way that Norway rats and mice nest is quite different from one another. Mice can climb and will nest and infest a house at all levels. Norway rats don’t climb and will only build their nests in basements and ground levels. Mice usually nest near their food source as well since they will only travel about 50 feet away from their nests. Norway rats will travel much further on a quest for food and will go up to 300 feet away.

Rodent Control

As the weather starts to get cooler, you will find that Norway rats and house mice will start to try and get into your home to get away from the cold. If you find that there are rodents infesting your home, you will need the help of the pest professionals at Ross Environmental Solutions to help you get rid of them. Call us at the first sighting of rodent activity since they can take over your home in a hurry. Call us today!