A Rat poop and a Mouse Poop might seem similar for a normal person due to its almost similar appearance in size and color and their behavioural similarity, that both of them make their nest usually in the house attic. But they are different in many aspects. Rat droppings are shiny black with almost a half-inch long in size. On the other hand, mice droppings are comparatively smaller in size with a smooth texture and pointed ends. They are 3-6 mm in length.
Rat Poop vs Mouse Poop
The main difference between rat poop and mouse poop is their difference in size. Rat droppings are larger in size compared to mouse droppings. Although both of them are found to make their nest in the same place that is generally in the house attic, their poop can be largely differentiated by the color of their droppings.
An average rat makes a maximum of 50 droppings a day. It is usually curved in shape with ends that are either pointed or sausage-like. Rat poops may be found at any corner of the room, but mainly found in a garage, crawl space, basement, or the main floor than the upper floor.
Mouse poops are usually more pointed. They have a maximum of 75 droppings a day. They resemble dark grains of rice. They are usually dark brownish-grey in color and are mainly found inside the pantries, drawers, behind the food boxes, sinks, etc.
Comparison Table between Rat Poop and Mouse Poop
| Parameters of Comparison | Rat Poop | Mouse Poop |
| Shape | Rat poop is usually curved in shape with sausage shape and pointed ends. | Mouse poop is spindle shaped and can bend with an arch. |
| Color | The fresh one is dark greyish brown while the old one is grey. | The fresh one is black, and the old one is grey. |
| Quantity | It mainly depends on the size of the rat groups, but in general, it is 20 to 25 pellets. | Usually, 70 to 150 droppings are dropped at a time. |
| Location | It is mainly found in garages, rooftops, sewers, basements, and other damp areas. | It is found under the kitchen sinks, inside the pantries, behind the food boxes, inside the drawers, etc. |
| Size | Rat Poop is comparatively larger than mouse droppings. | Mouse Poop is comparatively smaller in size than rat droppings. |
What is Rat Poop?
Rat droppings are larger in size when compared to mouse droppings. They are 3/4 an inch in length having a curved shape. The ends of their droppings are either the shape of a sausage or are pointed. The color of the fresh poop is different than that of mouse poop. The fresh rat poop is dark greyish brown, but just like that of a mouse, the old one becomes greyish in color. The fresh ones also have a shiny texture. They are found in large groupings and mainly take the size of an olive. Rat feces are primarily found in a scattered manner. They usually drop 20-25 pellets at a time, usually in the garages, rooftops, sewers, etc. the dry feces can also become toxic for a healthy person. The poop does not have much smell of its own, but when mixed with art, urine can give off a bad smell.
Rat droppings are very skinny pellets that are usually bulging at the center. It has a length of 3/8 inch and a diameter of 1/8inch. The sizes may vary depending on the rats. The fresh rat poops resemble squirrel poop with the only difference being that it is thinner and darker.
What is Mouse Poop?
The key difference between a rat poop and a mouse poop is their size. They are 1/4th inch long in size, which resembles a grain of rice that is tapered at both ends. The color of a fresh mouse dropping is dark black, although the color might vary depending on what they have eaten. Since mice are nocturnal beings, it is very difficult to trace them. They are capable of producing 70-75 pellets a day. In, the extent of an infestation can be determined by the number of droppings found in an area. Mouse droppings are smaller in size compared to that rat droppings. They are spindle-shaped and can bend like an arch. Mouse build their nests near the food sources, and hence their droppings are found near the pantry, inside the kitchen, sinks, behind food boxes, and others.
Mouse poops have a wet texture with the consistency of a play dough. Only after a certain time do the droppings become hard and tend to lose their color. They have pointed tips and are skinny as well. Each pellet is about 1/16 inches thick. The mouse droppings give out a pungent smell like ammonia.
Main Differences between Rat Poop and Mouse Poop
Conclusion
Rats and mouse both build their place for a stay in the same region of the house that is the attic. Both of these rodents have certain similarities, but there are a number of differences based on which they can be differentiated as well. The easiest way to identify the poop is to follow their behavior. Rats are known to eat everything that finds, including mice. Hence there can never be the presence of both in the same place. The fresh rat poop is dark and greyish brown in color, whereas that of a mouse is dark black. But it becomes a bit difficult to identify these once they become old as both of them become greyish in color. Rats and mice have different types of droppings, but their dropping place is nearly the same in the garage or basement, inside the sinks or pantry, etc.
References
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