Why it matters
Rats and mice live differently, get in differently and are treated differently. A mouse can get through a gap about the width of a pencil; a rat needs one about the width of a thumb. Mice often live entirely indoors; rats usually have a route to the outside or the drains.
Droppings: the clearest clue
- Rat droppings: 1–2cm long, spindle-shaped with blunt ends, usually in small groups
- Mouse droppings: 3–6mm, like grains of rice with pointed ends, scattered widely
- Mice leave far more droppings, spread along their routes
- Rat droppings are fewer but much larger
More on what droppings and other signs tell you is in the first signs of rats.
Size and appearance
An adult brown rat is heavy-bodied, with a blunt nose, small ears and a thick tail shorter than its body. A house mouse is small and slender, with large ears, a pointed nose and a thin tail about as long as its body. A young rat can be mistaken for a mouse — look at the head and feet, which are large in proportion on a young rat.
Noise and behaviour
Mice make light, quick scratching and scurrying sounds. Rats are heavier, and their gnawing and movement are louder. Mice are curious and investigate new things quickly; rats are cautious — one reason rat control takes time.
Where they live
Mice nest close to food, often inside kitchen units, cupboards and wall voids, and can live their whole lives indoors. Rats tend to nest in floor voids, under sheds and decking and in burrows, travelling further to feed — see where rats nest.
Damage
Both gnaw. Rat gnaw marks are larger and rougher, and rats can damage harder materials such as plastic pipes and wood. Mouse damage is finer: small, neat holes in packaging and nibbled food — more in the signs of mice and can mice chew through wiring.
What to do next
Both are priced the same in Brent: £190 for a flat and £240 for a house. If it is rats, book rat control or read more on Rat Control Brent. If it is mice, see Mouse Control Brent or book mouse control. Either way, the way in needs closing afterwards — rodent proofing is £180 for up to one hour.
