Invasive rodents like mice and rats are small, fast, and experts at hiding. Should they invade your home or business, you many not know it for several days or weeks. And even then, you’ll likely be tipped off by a sign that isn’t a rodent itself. Among the most common rodent infestation signs are rodent droppings, which rodents leave behind in a number of places. On this page, our experts at EcoClear Products have put together a quiz to help you determine which type of rodent you’re dealing with based on the type of droppings found. Below, you’ll also find more details on the three most common types of invasive rodents—mice, roof rats, and Norway rats—as well as information on how to effectively exterminate them with our eco-friendly rodenticides here at EcoClear Products.
Taking the Rodent Droppings Quiz
During this short quiz, you’ll be given a series of questions pertaining to the appearance of rodent droppings. Using your answers and our data, you can narrow down which type of rodent is likely living in your home or business. You can begin the quiz below.
Results
By answering the questions in the rodent dropping quiz, you’ve taken the first step in narrowing down which type of rodent is likely infesting your space. Now, below, you can take a look at three most common results—mice, roof rats, and Norway rats—in greater detail. You can also learn about how to exterminate these rodents with eco-friendly and highly-effective rodenticide solutions from our team at EcoClear Products.
Mice
Mice are relatively small yet common members of the genus Mus and family Muridae. The most common mouse subspecies—the house mouse, Mus musculus—is found on 6 of 7 continents and is by far the most problematic mouse pest in North America. House mice are small, typically growing only to 10 centimeters in length, not counting their tails, which can grow to 5 centimeters in length. They have short hair and vary in color from light to dark agouti (light to dark brown). House mouse droppings are pointed and about ¼ of an inch in length—significantly smaller than rat droppings, which are discussed below. Learn more about how to get mice off your property.
Roof Rats
Roof rats (also known as black rats, house rats, or ship rats) are common long-tailed rodents of the genus Rattus in the subfamily Murinae. Roof rats are omnivorous and are found in virtually every region inhabited by humans. Roof rats are can be gray, black or brown in color, 75 to 250 grams in weight, and 4 to 7 inches in length (excluding the tail). Unlike their slightly larger cousins (Norway rats), roof rats have tails that extend to lengths easily exceeding their body lengths. Their bodies and snouts are slender, and their eyes and ears are relatively large in proportion to their heads. Roof rat droppings are pointed and about ½ of an inch in length. Learn more about how to get rid of rats on your property.
Norway Rats
Norway rats (also common rats, street rats, sewer rats, Hanover rats, Norway rats, Norwegian rats, or wharf rats) are rodents of the genus Rattus in the subfamily Muridae. They are the largest rat subspecies by weight, and perhaps the most common rat subspecies in the world. Found in all human-populated corners of the globe, Norway rats are distinguished by their relatively bulky bodies, stout heads, and short tails. In contrast to roof rats, Norway rats have tails that are much shorter than their bodies, which can grow 25 centimeters or 10 inches in length. Norway rats can also reach weights of 350 grams or 12 ounces. They have coarse, short fur that is usually gray or brown in color. Norway rat droppings are blunt and up to ¾ of an inch in length.
Mouse and Rat Extermination with EcoClear Products
Whether you are dealing with house mice, roof rats, or Norway rats on your property, our team here at EcoClear Products has an eco-friendly and highly-effective solution to help you live rodent-free. For mice, we recommend our MouseX® products—available in both pellets and MouseX Ready Trays™. For roof rats and Norway rats, we recommend our RatX® and RatRid™product lines.
All products in our MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ product lines are made from 100% naturally-derived ingredients that work twofold in attracting rodents and exterminating them as humanely as possible. Once ingested, active ingredients in MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ products coat the rodent’s stomach lining, rodent’s stomach lining, blocking all communication from the stomach to the brain. This makes the rodent stop eating and drinking, leading to dehydration, circulatory failure, and eventual death. For the rodent, the process feels like nothing more than fatigue followed by sleep. As additional benefit, MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ rodenticides contain active ingredients that catalyze a mummification process in rodents upon ingestion. This reduces decay and odor by as much as 90%.
Aside from their overall effectiveness, what truly separates MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ products from other rodenticides on the market is their eco-friendly. Formulated from all-natural, 100%-biodegradable ingredients, these revolutionary rodenticides are completely safe for people, pets, livestock, and wildlife.
Want to make MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ even more effective at luring and exterminating mice and rats? Check out our RatX Rat and Mouse Attractant spray, specially-designed to increase the odor and attractive potency of MouseX®, RatX®, and RatRid™ rodenticides.
Learn More
Interested in learning more about identifying and exterminating rodents on your property? Our experts here at EcoClear Products would love to help. Contact us here to speak with a member of our team directly, and use our Store Locator to find an EcoClear Products retailer near you!
