Identify
How to Identify Rats and Mice
Start with the animal's size and body shape, then use droppings, tracks, gnaw marks, sounds and location as supporting clues.
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Topics covered by this category
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- Norway rat
- Roof rat
- House mouse
- Deer mouse
- Droppings
- Tracks
- Nests
Published guides in this section
Rat vs Mouse: How to Tell the DifferenceLearn how to compare rats and mice using body size, proportions, droppings, tracks, gnaw marks, nesting areas, sounds and activity patterns around the home.
House Mouse: Identification, Signs & BehaviorLearn how to identify a house mouse, what it looks like, where it lives, which signs it leaves behind, how it behaves, and what to do if mice are in your home.
Norway Rat: Identification, Signs & BehaviorLearn how to identify a Norway rat, what it looks like, where it lives, which signs it leaves behind, how it behaves, and what to do if Norway rats are around your home.
Roof Rat: Identification, Signs & BehaviorLearn how to identify a roof rat, what it looks like, where it lives, which signs it leaves behind, how it behaves, and what to do if roof rats are around your home.
Deer Mouse: Identification, Signs & BehaviorLearn how to identify a deer mouse, what it looks like, where it lives, which signs it leaves behind, how it differs from a house mouse, and what to do if deer mice enter your home.
Deer Mouse vs House Mouse: Key DifferencesDeer mice and house mice can both enter homes, garages, sheds, cabins, and other structures, but they are different rodents with useful visual and behavioral differences.
Roof Rat vs Norway Rat: How to Tell Them ApartRoof rats and Norway rats are the two rat types most often compared around U.S. homes.
Field Mouse vs House Mouse: What’s the Difference?“Field mouse” and “house mouse” sound like two specific species, but only one of those names is precise.
Baby Mouse: What Newborn & Young Mice Look LikeA newborn mouse looks very different from the small gray-brown mouse most people picture.
Baby Rat: What Newborn & Young Rats Look LikeA newborn rat looks very different from the large brown or dark rat most people picture.
Black Rat: Identification, Habitat & ControlThe black rat is a slender, agile rat species known scientifically as Rattus rattus.
Woodrat / Pack Rat: Identification & Home ProblemsA pack rat is usually a woodrat in the genus Neotoma.
Related rat and mouse topics
Signs of Rats and Mice in the HomeRodent activity is easier to assess when several clues are considered together, including droppings, damage, sounds, tracks and nesting material.
Rat and Mouse Biology and BehaviorBiology and behavior help explain where rats and mice travel, why they return to certain resources and how quickly activity can change.
Rat and Mouse Problems in Homes and BuildingsWhere activity occurs affects the evidence people notice, the access needed for inspection and the steps required to address the source.
Safety Around Rats, Mice and Rodent ControlSafety guidance should match the evidence, cleanup task, products being considered and the people or animals who may be exposed.