House Mouse
House mice (Mus musculus) are brown to black with a lighter, but not white, underbelly. They are smaller than rats (2 to 3.5 inch long body with 3 to 4 inch long tail) but similar in appearance. Young rats are sometimes mistaken for mice. House mice are seen both indoors and in agricultural areas.
Voles are small rodents that people often mistake for other smaller creatures like gophers, mice, or rats. Predators of voles include coyotes, raccoons, and bobcats. But despite the formidable list of foes, voles have managed to thrive and grow in number.
Rats are larger than mice and will have coarse red, brown, grey, or black fur (depending on the variety) and a long, scaly, fur-less tail.
Voles are often mistaken for other creatures. They're mistaken for mice and rats because of their small, brown, round-eared appearance.
So, how do you know if you've got a problem with rats from the sewers? Several signs can indicate an infestation in your drains. Listen for scratching or scurrying noises from your walls or beneath your floors. Rats are nocturnal, so these noises are most likely to occur at night.
Peppermint oil — Essential plant oils like peppermint, rosemary, citronella, sage and lavender have strong botanical scents that rats dislike. One customer successfully repelled a rat by stuffing a peppermint oil soaked tissue into the rat hole chewed into the wall. The rat appeared to never come back.
Even a single rat is enough to make most people shudder, but the truth is that if you have rats, you are unlikely to only have one. Rats are clever creatures that can squeeze into the tiniest of gaps, and once they have made themselves at home, they will breed.
They also frequently find harborage in plants such as Algerian ivy, bougainvillea, and the dead fronds of palm trees. Rats and mice are nocturnal with most activity taking place between approximately one half hour after sunset to about one half hour before sunrise.
Most rodents are identifiable by behavior, specific body features and coloration. Some rodents bear tails that are much shorter than the lengths of their bodies, while others have tails that far exceed that length. Rats tend to have hairless tails and ears and are larger in size than most mice.
Muskrats are commonly seen travelling overland and sometimes far distances from water, especially in the fall and spring. Many 'rats' reported in Alberta are actually muskrats.
Their tails are also another key difference between the two animals. While both rats and possums have naked tails, possums have much longer and prehensile tails that these arboreal animals climb trees with ease. A rat's tail also has many uses, including temperature regulation and balance.
Thanks to their gray furry bodies, small ears and eyes, gophers look similar to mice, rats, and other rodents. Also known as pocket gophers, these rodents can be identified by their fur-lined cheek pouches and incisor teeth used to dig into the dirt.
Inside, rats can be found hiding out in holes, cracks, and crevices; climbing up through drains in bathrooms and kitchens; behind cabinets; behind and under appliances; in air ducts and ventilation systems; in piles of clutter; in storage containers; in hollow walls; and in crawlspaces, attics, garages, and basements.
Rats can cause a surprising amount of damage to property in a short amount of time. Homes, vehicles, and gardens are not safe when rats are around. Rats also pose a health risk because they spread infectious diseases to humans and pets.
Getting rid of rats
It is the responsibility of the owner or occupier to control pests on their premises. Failing to report a rat infestation is not wise – they do not disappear of their own accord and they will likely spread.
What kills rats instantly? Snap type traps are among the most effective and quickest means to kill rats if placed properly and when a large number of traps are used.
Outdoors, rats face a variety of predators. In these environments, large birds of prey — including hawks, falcons and owls — feed regularly on rodents. Owls are particularly formidable predators, as their nocturnal behavior ensures that they are most active when rats go out in search of food.
Rodents do not like the sharp scent of vinegar, so it's believed that it can be an effective rodent repellent. Common advice is to soak cotton balls with vinegar and place them near areas where you think rodents are entering your home and to use vinegar as a cleaning solution.
Look for signs of rat or mouse infestation: Rodent droppings around food packages, in drawers or cupboards, and under the sink. Nesting material such as shredded paper, fabric, or dried plant matter. Signs of chewing on food packaging.
Size: Male water voles can be up to 20cm long (head and body); tail half the length of a rat's. What can I look for on land? The blunt head, brown fur and short, hairy tail that's hard to see. Their tracks are easy to identify – the forefeet have four toes, while the hindfeet have five.