Rat vs Mouse Droppings: What’s Pooping in the Kitchen?

Rats are the larger of the two species, and that means that almost everything about them will be bigger. They are bigger in size, make a lot more noise (when everything else is quiet), and will also leave larger droppings behind. Rat droppings can be up to 2cm in length, although usually fall between 1-2cm. Mouse droppings, on the other hand, are usually only a couple of millimeters long.

Which of the two rodents are you most likely to see in your home? Well, both of them are very good at keeping themselves hidden, but mice are definitely a little more cautious than rats are, although rats are the more intelligent of the two. A mouse will take its time when coming out of the nest, making sure that humans aren’t around. Rats are bigger, braver, and slightly more ballsy, often seen throughout the day and with very little fear of humans and/or other predators.

If you see a lot of droppings, with varying sizes of droppings, you could have both a rat and a mouse infestation on your property. The two combined could also be a sign that your adult rodents are breeding, and the younger generations are leaving behind the smaller droppings.

You should do something about rodent droppings as soon as you realize they’re there. It is not advised that you try to handle the situation yourself, especially without the right safety equipment and gear, because the feces of rodents commonly passes around disease spores responsible for leptospirosis, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever, lymphocytic chorio-meningitis, and haemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. They are every bit as unpleasant as they sound, and are also sometimes fatal.