Out of all the rodent species in the world, only a few behave as household pests. Of these, there are two species of mice: the house mouse and the field mouse and three species of rats: the common rat, gray rat (also known as a sewer rat) and the black rat (otherwise known as a roof rat). As a general rule made by a local Pest Exterminator in Baltimore MD, the rats tend to be larger in size than other rodents, but sometimes, young rats are constantly growing and can be mistaken for rodents. The main morphological differences between them are:
House mouse. This rodent is small and thin (6-9 cm from nose to tail and weighs 12 to 30 grams). They have pointy, long ears and some hair, small eyes, gray fur and a light brown nose. This and the roof rat is the two most common rats a Pest Exterminator in Baltimore MD will see.
Field mouse. This is a medium-sized rodent (7.3-10 cm from nose to tail and weighs 15-30 grams). It has a pointed nose, and its ears are a lot bigger than a house mouse. They have big eyes and a reddish or white belly. Their favorite living area consists of forests and grasslands and they rarely enter homes or businesses, although they may frequent barns and other food storage facilities.
Common, gray or sewer rat. This rat is a robust little fellow (18-25 cm from nose to tail and weighs 200-500 grams). They have a snub nose, small ears and covered hair, small eyes and a black coat with a yellow/white belly. It is an excellent swimmer and often builds underground burrows.
Black rat or roof rat. This rat is smaller than the common rat, and is more graceful and slender (16-20 cm from nose to tail and weigh 150-250 grams) than other rats. They have a pointed nose, long ears that may fold over their eyes, balding fur, large and prominent eyes and a gray to a black coat. It is an agile climber and often builds burrows high in trees, attics or walls.
Discovering the differences between the major species of rodents is a huge help to your problem. Contact a local exterminator to learn more. You can also visit the website to learn more.
