Even if you think rodents are cute, having a rodent infestation in your home presents health risks and property damage. These small pests can transmit diseases and cause thousands of dollars in property damage. If you’ve heard the scurrying sounds of rodents or seen one running across the kitchen counter out of the corner of your eye, you may want to know whether you have rats or mice and which is worse in your Longview Home.
Is it a Mouse or a Rat?
Mice and rats rarely live in the same area, so it is unlikely that you would have both types of rodents in your home at the same time. Here’s what to look for when trying to identify the type of rodent in your home:
Size
Adult rats are larger than mice, they grow up to 18 inches in length, if you include their tail in the measurement. An adult mouse is around 7 ½ inches long, including the tail.
Nose
Rats have short, round noses while mice have pointy, triangular-shaped noses.
Tails
Rats have thick, hairless tails. If you look at a rat’s tail up close, you’ll see that it is scaly. Mice have thin tails with a little hair on them.
Droppings
Being the larger animal, rats have larger droppings about ¾ inch long with rounded ends. Mice droppings are ¼ inch long and shaped kind of like rice with pointed ends.
Color
Both rats and mice may be any shade of brown or gray, but rats can also be black.
Behaviors
You may be able to identify the rodents in your home based on their behaviors. Mice are fearful of people and will run away anytime they see you. If you corner a mouse in an attempt to catch it, it’s unlikely that it will attack. Rats are more aggressive, so if you corner a rat, it is more likely to strike out or attempt to bite you.
Health Problems Caused by Rats or Mice in Your Home
Regardless of whether you have mice or rats in your home, both have the potential to spread bacteria and disease or cause dangerous allergies. In addition to their urine and droppings, they can contaminate food sources and introduce fleas and ticks into homes which also may carry diseases.
Diseases Caused By Mice
- Hantavirus
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis
Diseases Caused by Rats
- Rat-bite fever
- Bubonic plague
Rodent droppings have the potential to spread bacteria during clean up when you touch it, or even by breathing the air. The best course of action to limit your exposure to potential health risks posed by mice or rats in your home is to hire Pest-Pro Services for professional decontamination and elimination of your rodent infestation.
Property Damage Problems Caused by Rodents
Not only are rodents a potential source of sickness, but they can also damage your home and belongings. Both rats and mice can chew through almost anything including insulation, wood, cardboard, and electrical wiring.
When it comes to having rodents in your home, mice may cause more property damage simply because they are smaller than rats, which allows them to get into more areas of your home. And mice tend to reproduce faster than rats, meaning you could have a very large infestation of mice in your home rather quickly.
It’s hard to say whether having rats or mice is worse to have in your Texas home as both have the potential to make you sick or damage your home. Whether you have mice or rats, the safest and most effective way to deal with any rodent infestation is to contact the professionals at Pest-Pro Services to reduce your risks of health issues, eliminate the infestation, and help prevent future rodent infestations. Reach out to us today for assistance.