If you have a critter who invades your home, you may not be able to tell whether you have a mouse or rat roaming around. There are many similarities between the two rodents and many differences as well. Learn about three key differences so you can know what rodents you're dealing with and the possible impact.

1. Tails

If you see the rodents in your home, one of the easiest differences to spot is the tail. Mice typically have a thin tail with hair covering the whole tail. The hair will match the hair on the rest of their body but may have lighter shades of color underneath the tail.

A rat typically has a bare tail that is thicker than a mouse's. A mouse tail is typically longer than a rat's tail, especially when you compare the tail length to the body ratio. A mouse's tail length will be longer than the length of its body in most cases.

2. Reproducing

While both rodents reproduce heavily throughout the year, you may run into a bigger infestation problem if you see mice in the home. Pest control workers should be called quickly to help prevent the reproduction of mice. Mice not only have multiple litters a year, but their litters include more offspring. Some mice litters can have up to twelve pups at a time.

Once the multipliers occur, mice can really invade the home and create problems for food pantries and other areas. Rats will reproduce multiple times a year as well and can still present problems even if they have smaller litters.

3. Size

Another big difference between the two rodents is the size. Rats are typically bigger than mice. The size dominance is evident in multiple ways. Many rats, including common brown rats, will have a longer and wider body than a mouse. Rats will also have a thicker body. The fur is not only thicker, but rats can hold more body weight and fat than a mouse.

The ears can also indicate key differences between the species. A rat will typically have small rounded ears while a mouse has larger ears that protrude from the head more.

Even though there are major size differences between the two rodents, both can squeeze into extremely small spaces. A pest control worker can determine some of their main points of entry or dwelling locations.

When you discover either rodent in your home, you should seek professional pest control services to help eliminate the animal and prevent rodent population growth.