Rats and mice are rodents. They are highly adaptable and some of the most successful mammals on earth.
Rats and mice thrive in all types of urban and rural environments in just about every part of the world. Some rodent species prefer to live among humans, which gives them access to the food, water and shelter they need to survive.
Having a mouse in the house or rat in the yard or attic, however, is not acceptable for most people. And it’s a problem that can swiftly grow into a full-blown mouse or rat infestation.
Rodents reproduce quickly and year-round when conditions are right and they’re also smart. They naturally know how to avoid danger. This includes animal predators and the rat traps and mouse traps set out to catch them.
Rodents cause considerable damage to homes and businesses, and even to cars and storage units. Most active at night, they gnaw on electrical wires, which can cause fires and equipment to short out, and chew holes in buildings and sewer pipes. Rodents ruin furniture, clothing and paper in which they nest, and they contaminate and destroy vast amounts of food. Rodent also can make your family and pets very ill.
Do rats and mice spread disease?
Yes. Rats and mice spread disease. Rodents are responsible for some of the most devastating disease outbreaks of all time. More than 10 million people have died in the past century from rodent-borne disease.
The diseases spread by mice and rats include bubonic plague, hantavirus, typhus, rickettsia, Lyme disease, dysentery, and various fevers, among others. Rodents cause food poisoning by spreading bacteria like E.coli, salmonella and listeria. They also trigger allergies and asthma.
Rodents spread disease by biting people, or when people get bit by fleas and ticks that previously fed on the blood of diseased rodents. You also can get sick from breathing in very small particles and droplets of rodent feces and urine, which become airborne when disturbed.
Rodents urinate in micro-droplets as they move about indoors looking for food. This means just about any surface -- counter tops, stoves, dishes – can become contaminated.
Why are mice in my house?
Like all animals, mice need food, water and shelter to survive. They can find all three in your home or commercial building.
Mice typically come inside to nest when the weather turns cold, but they also may live indoors year-round if food and water are readily available.
Mice eat just about anything, from dry cereals and packaged foods to fruits and pet food. They’ll even feed on insects like German cockroaches if present in a building.
Mice will travel up to 30 feet from their nest to find food and water. A sure sign of mouse activity are little black mouse droppings, which are ¼ inch (6 mm) long – about the size of a grain of rice. Mice poop while on the move, leaving feces scattered around an area.
Rats also can get into a home or commercial building. Signs include noises in the walls or ceiling, stains on the ceiling, gnaw marks, and black droppings, which are ½ to ¾ inch (13 to 19 mm) long.
Why are rats in my yard and garden?
Like mice, rats need food, water and shelter. During the COVID-19 pandemic, rats moved into neighbourhoods since their main source of food – restaurant dumpsters and sidewalk garbage cans – were empty. Construction of new buildings and roads also will disturb rats, causing them to seek shelter elsewhere.
What do rats eat? In yards, rats have ample food: seeds from birdfeeders, pet food and water in outdoor bowls, fruit from trees, compost piles, garbage, even dog poop and manure. It’s not unusual to see stressed, hungry rats in the garden in daytime.
Rats look for food and water up to 450 feet from their nest. Roof rats nest up high in trees, tall shrubs and the ivy of buildings. Norway rats make burrows in the ground along foundations, raised gardens and under sheds.
What types of rats and mice are a problem in Canada?
More than 2,200 species of rodents exist around the world. In Canada, four types of rodents cause the most problems for homes and businesses:
Norway Rat – This large rat also is called a brown rat or sewer rat. On average, it measures about 16 inches (41 cm) long from nose to tail end and weighs about 12 ounces (340 grams). Its body is longer than its tail. The Norway rat mostly lives outdoors in burrows in the ground, which may be found along foundations, in dense landscaping and vegetation, and in gardens. They get into buildings through cracks, gaps and old sewer lines and by chewing through wood, plastic and concrete.
A Norway Rat burrow outside of a home
Roof Rat – This rat also is called a black rat or house rat. On average it weighs 8 to 12 ounces (226 to 340 grams) and measures 16 inches (41 cm) long from nose to tail end. The tail is longer than its body. Compared to the Norway rat, it is a sleek, small rat. Mostly found in coastal areas, the roof rat may be migrating inland. The roof rat is an excellent climber and nests in trees, tall shrubs, ivy growing on buildings, attics, soffits, and ceilings. It travels along tree branches and aerial wires and cables. The rat gets into buildings through gaps and holes; it chews holes in wood soffits and eaves.
House Mouse – The house mouse is the most common rodent pest in Canada. It is light brown to nearly black in colour and is 5 to 8 inches (127 to 206 cm) long from nose to tail end. Its tail and body are equally long. The average house mouse weighs 0.5 to 1.0 ounce (14 to 28 grams). A female house mouse can have 42 to 60 baby mice in one year. In severe mice infestations, the number of house mice can be in the thousands.
Deer Mouse – Also called the white-footed mouse, the deer mouse is brown in colour with a white underbelly and feet. It is 5 to 8 inches (127 to 206 cm) long from nose to tail end. The mouse mostly lives outdoors but in fall and winter it may seek warmer shelter indoors, such as in attics, basements, furniture and wall voids. Deer mice mostly are a problem in rural areas, communities near natural habitats, and cottage country. They are a common carrier of hantavirus, which causes pulmonary disease.
How to Get Rid of Mice and How to Get Rid of Rats
To get rid of mice and rats, follow these 4 steps:
- Inspect – Identify where the rodents are active. Look for feces, gnawing, damaged food packaging, tracks (footprints), and the worn, greasy trails they commonly travel. Find where they are entering the building, such as through cracks, holes for wires and utility pipes, gaps in siding, under doors without door sweeps. Mice can fit through a hole the size of a dime. If you suspect Norway rats, look for outdoor burrows, which may have multiple entrances, and where old sewer lines exist in the building. For roof rats, look for chewed holes in soffits and eaves.
- Make your house or yard less hospitable – Remove the food, water and shelter that is attracting the rodents. Put food and pet food in tight-sealing containers. Eliminate bird feeders or move them away from the house. Pick up and dispose of windfall fruit from under fruit trees. Stop composting or use a sealed compost drum. Put garbage in rodent-proof bins. Eliminate sources of water like puddles, clogged gutters and leaks. Remove ivy on walls, brush piles and low-growing, dense vegetation, especially near building foundations.
- Seal up entry points – Once you know how rodents are entering the building, you can seal up those gaps and holes. Use materials made specifically for rodent exclusion, as mice and rats can chew through basic caulk and wood siding. Install rodent guards on garage and building doors.
- Use the best rodent control products and devices – In addition to using exclusion products to prevent rodents from getting inside, the best way to control rats and mice are indoor and outdoor rat traps and mouse traps. These include snap traps, glue boards and live traps. Trap attractant makes rodents less wary of traps. Outdoor rat snap traps and mouse traps should be placed inside plastic rodent bait stations to protect pets and wildlife.
A cautionary note: The internet sells many products to kill mice and rats, including rat killer spray, mouse poison, rat poison and rodenticide. Rodent poison or rodenticide in Canada is regulated by Health Canada and requires a professional pest control license to use. Improper use of these products can sicken pets and wildlife.
Rat and mice repellent sprays and electronic mouse deterrents are not a long-term solution for rodent control. Rats and mice are very determined, and it is more effective to eliminate what is attracting them to your home or business (see item #2 above) than trying to repel them. The best mouse repellent or rat repellent in Canada is to eliminate the food, water and shelter they need to survive.
Nor can we speak to the effectiveness of home remedies to repel and kill rats and mice, such as using peppermint oil, ammonia, baking soda, or salt and detergent. However, we are confident in the effectiveness of rodent control products sold on Pest HQ.
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