Wondering whether you are dealing with a rat or a mouse problem? About to search for a pest control company in Sharjah to help you deal with it? While it’s an alarming thought to think of rodents living with you in your home, pest infestations do happen and it’s best to be well informed. So before you call a pest control company through ServiceMarket, here are a few differences between the two rodents that will help you know what you are dealing with:
Features of a Rat
- Rats are larger in size, their bodies are heavier and weigh around 0.4 kilograms
- The noses are either blunt or pointed
- Rats have short fur, it’s usually dark and course
- They have a long thin tail
- Rats have poor eyesight so they’re more likely to step on the traps you laid out for them
- Rats are usually found on the upper levels of a home, so if you have an attic, watch out!
Features of a Mouse
- Mice are small and light, weighing around 0.15 grams
- Their noses are usually pointed
- Mice usually don’t have a lot of hair
- They have long thin tails, often dark
- Mice have small heads and feet
- They’re mostly light brown, grey, or white colored
- Mice are actually afraid of rats, so you’re probably not dealing with both rodents since a mouse won’t live alongside a rat
- Mice have a noticeable smell, if you smell a new strange odor around your house – it’s probably a mouse
Questions To Ask Yourself
- Have you been seeing the rodent a lot? If yes, then there’s probably a mouse living in your household. Rats are usually better at hiding and won’t be found around the house.
- Do you see any tracks? Both mice and rats can leave tracks.
- Are there gnawing marks on your furniture? Then you’re probably dealing with a mouse.
- Are there nests in your attic? Rats are more likely to nest there.
- Have you found nests in your storage closets? Then a mouse is likely the culprit.
Mouse Droppings
This is probably not an aspect you’ve given much thought (and for good reason); but inspecting a rodent’s droppings can usually give you an idea whether it’s a mouse or rat, either one can be handled by a pest control service in Sharjah. Did you know that a mouse can leave up to 70 droppings in its wake? So, if you’re seeing a lot of droppings, it’s probably a mouse.
If you find feces in the kitchen, especially under the sink or in the pantry, you’re dealing with a mouse. If you closely inspect the droppings, you’ll find the mouse leaves small ones and are shaped like a spindle, they are black colored at first and after a few days become grey and dull.
Rat Droppings
Rats leave behind around 45 droppings a day! You’ll find them in the attic or rooftops since they prefer higher ground, but you also might spot some in the garage or basements at times (if the problem is bigger than usual). The droppings of a rat are a lot bigger than a mouse, almost 2 centimeters long! When they’re new, the droppings are black and soft, but after a few days they turn grey and form a crumbly appearance.
Are They Active?
Before the pest control comes around, it helps to know whether or not the rat or mouse is still active, or if they are reproducing and infesting your home. Baby mice usually leave behind droppings in all sizes, which are also found in quiet, dark rooms and corners.
If you come across a pile of droppings that have gone grey and dull with a crumbly texture, that’s good news! This means that the remains were there for some time, which could indicate the rat or mouse is no longer in your home. But don’t touch the droppings, their feces can spread diseases. Once you clean up the feces, wait to see if any more appear, which would mean they’re still present.
Help Is A Click Away
Don’t struggle with this rodent problem any longer than you have to, get on ServiceMarket and receive free quotes for pest control in Dubai. It’s good to know how to differentiate mice and rats, but setting traps and catching them should be left to the professionals. Next time someone you know suspects they have rodents in their home, you can share all the facts you learned and help identify them!
