{"id":1952,"date":"2023-07-06T04:49:31","date_gmt":"2023-07-06T04:49:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/critterbusters.com.au\/?p=1952"},"modified":"2023-07-06T04:49:31","modified_gmt":"2023-07-06T04:49:31","slug":"whats-the-difference-between-a-mouse-and-a-rat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/critterbusters.com.au\/whats-the-difference-between-a-mouse-and-a-rat\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the Difference Between a Mouse and a Rat?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Sure, they may look and act the same. But there are subtle differences between rats and mice. From their appearance and behaviour through to their diet and lifecycle. Of course, rodents are incredibly fast and discreet which makes it hard to spot the difference at a glance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By being equipped with the basic facts, you can more effectively protect your home or business from an infestation, and enjoy peace of mind knowing your most valuable investment is safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Generally speaking mice are smaller than rats. To be exact, the average size of an adult mouse is 12-20 cm while an average adult rat can grow to a length of 40 cm or more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
While this is a useful way to identify a rodent, the only downside is you could easily mistake a young rat for an adult mouse. So you need to rely on other visual clues to differentiate between the two. \u2022 Ears:<\/strong> Mouse tend to have large floppy ears, while rats have smaller and more subdued ears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Tails:<\/strong> Both mouse and rats have similarly long, thin tails. But only mice have hair on theirs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Snouts:<\/strong> Pointy, triangular shapes define the common mouse, while rats have a more blunt shaped face. Both animals have long whiskers of a similar length.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2022 Colour:<\/strong> Mice and rats come in a range of colours including white, grey, black and brown.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They key difference between mice vs rats is that mice tend to be more bold and eager to explore new areas. Another key difference is climbing ability. Mouse are highly skilled at climbing so they can access the top of kitchen cabinets, wardrobes and shelving. Although rats can also climb, they prefer to stand on ground level behind furniture, in basements and drainage pipes.<\/p>\n\n\n\t\t
The good news is, you can quickly spot the difference between rats vs mouse<\/strong><\/a> if you follow this simple checklist:<\/p>\n\n\n\nBehaviour :<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
For instance, a mouse is more likely to take interest in a trap than a rat, who will be more guarded and cautious. And since mice are smaller in size, they can easily sneak through concealed spaces to access parts of the home that are hard to reach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n