Mice or Rats? How To Identify Which Rodent Is In Your Home This Winter

Discovering signs of rodents in your home can be unsettling, but knowing whether you’re dealing with mice or rats is the first step toward effective control. These two pests may look similar at first glance, but their behaviors, appearances, and habits are quite different. Here’s how to tell which rodent is invading your Hampton Roads home this winter and what you can do about it.

Physical differences between mice and rats

While mice and rats share some similarities, their physical traits make them easy to tell apart once you know what to look for. Size, tail texture, and ear shape are just a few key characteristics that set them apart. Understanding these differences can help you quickly identify the type of rodent causing trouble in your home.

What mice look like
Mice are smaller, typically around 5-9 inches long, including their long, thin, hairy tails. They have pointed noses, large ears, and light brown or gray fur.

What rats look like
Rats are larger, measuring 12-16 inches or more, with thicker, scaly tails. Their noses are blunter, and their ears are smaller than their heads. While Norway rats have coarse, brown hair with lighter undersides, roof rats (which are more common in our area) typically have smooth, black fur with lighter undersides. 

How to tell mouse droppings and rat droppings apart 

Rodent droppings are one of the most obvious signs of an infestation, and their size and shape can reveal whether you’re dealing with mice or rats. Carefully inspecting areas where droppings are found, such as along baseboards, in pantries, under sinks, and in the attic, can provide valuable clues about the type of rodent in your home.

Mice droppings
Small and pointed at both ends, about the size of a grain of rice.

Rat droppings
Larger, with blunt ends, resembling small raisins.

Behavior and nesting habits

Rodents have distinct behaviors and nesting preferences that can help you identify which pest has invaded your home. Observing their activity patterns and nesting locations offers more insight into whether you’re dealing with mice or rats. Understanding their habits also helps pinpoint areas to focus on making repairs.

Mice
Mice are curious and tend to explore new areas. They often build nests in hidden, warm spots like wall voids, attics, and behind appliances.

Rats
Rats are more cautious and prefer to stick to the same paths. Norway rats tend to burrow in basements, crawl spaces, and under porches, while roof rats typically build nests in upper parts of homes and buildings, such as attics and rafters. 

Feeding preferences

Neither mice nor rats are picky eaters, but their feeding preferences can help distinguish between mice and rats. Recognizing what they’re eating can also guide you in reducing attractants and improving your prevention efforts.

What mice eat
Mice prefer grains, seeds, and sweets but will eat almost anything they can find.

What rats eat
As omnivores, rats have a broader diet that includes meat, grains, fruits, nuts, pet food, garbage, animal waste, and even dead animals.

Sounds and activity

Rodents often make their presence known through the noises they create, especially at night. Listening for these sounds can help pinpoint areas of activity and give clues about whether you’re dealing with mice or rats.

Sounds mice make
Mice make scratching and scurrying noises, especially at night. They may be heard in walls, ceilings, or behind cabinets.

Sound rats make
Rats are louder and may produce squeaking, gnawing, and rustling sounds as they move through larger spaces.

How to prevent rodents from infesting your home this winter

Keeping your home free of mice and rats this winter and all year long requires a proactive approach. By eliminating entry points and attractants, you can reduce the chances of infestation before it starts. With that in mind, here are some rodent prevention tips to implement in and around your home this winter:      

• Seal entry points
  Use steel wool and caulk to seal all cracks and gaps on the exterior of your house, including the foundation, around windows, doors, and utility lines. Replace or install weatherstripping as necessary.
• Organize and declutter
  Clear out the clutter in your garage, attic, closets, and other storage areas. Swap out cardboard boxes for durable plastic containers. 
• Keep your kitchen clean
  Store food in airtight containers, and clean up crumbs or spills as soon as they occur. Never leave dirty dishes in the sink overnight, and always pick up pet food.
• Trim landscaping
  Keep shrubs and trees trimmed back from your home to limit access points.
• Eliminate moisture
  Fix leaky pipes, appliances, and other plumbing issues. Use dehumidifiers to reduce water sources, and address the damp crawl space, if applicable. Ensure gutters are not clogged outside, and downspouts divert water away from the foundation. 

When to call Getem Services for help getting rid of rodents

If you’re unsure whether you’re dealing with mice or rats, but you know you have a rodent problem, calling a pest control professional is the best way to protect your home. At Getem Services, we’ve been resolving rodent infestations since 1922. Our team of pest control specialists can accurately identify the problem and implement targeted solutions to exterminate rodents and prevent their return.

Available in Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and throughout the Hampton Roads area, our rodent control services include: 

• An in-depth rodent inspection
• Customized rodent control that may include interior rodent trapping and exterior rodent bait stations
• Rodent exclusion services
• Follow-up visits as needed to resolve the infestation

For homeowners who would like protection from rodents and insects all year, we highly recommend signing up for Getem’s quarterly pest control services, which include:

• Exterior pest treatments
• Interior service, if needed
• Checking and replenishing bait stations, if necessary
• Knocking down spider webs and wasp nests up to one-story
• Free re-treatments if a covered pest problem arises in between scheduled services

Don’t let rodents take over this winter

Whether it’s mice or larger rats, rodents don’t belong in your home. You can keep your Virginia home rodent-free this winter by recognizing the signs, taking quick action, and partnering with the local pest control experts at Getem Services. Contact us today for assistance!