"Is that a rat or a mouse?" It is the first question people ask when they spot a rodent or its mess — and the answer changes what you are dealing with. Here is how to tell them apart quickly.
Size and shape
This is the clearest difference. A rat is large and heavy-bodied, often 16-40 cm including the tail, with a thick, scaly tail and a blunt nose. A mouse is small and slender, with a thin tail, a pointed nose, and ears that look oversized for its head.
Droppings
Rat droppings are dark, shiny and about the size of a rice grain or larger, often with blunt ends. Mouse droppings are tiny — think a grain of rice's pointed tip — and scattered in larger numbers.
Behaviour
Mice are curious and will explore new objects, nibbling a little in many places. Rats are cautious of new things and tend to stick to established routes, leaving greasy "rub marks" along walls they travel often.
Damage
Both chew, but a rat's size and stronger jaws mean bigger damage — thicker wiring, tougher plastic, and larger holes. In a car, that is the difference between a nibble and a chewed harness.
Why it matters — and what to do
Knowing which you have helps you gauge the risk, but the good news is the solution overlaps. Remove food and water, seal gaps larger than 2 cm (smaller for mice), declutter hiding spots, and run a deterrent. The EchoRepel Ultrasonic Rat Repellent discourages both rats and mice from settling in — because whichever one it is, they came for the same three things, and you can take all three away.