Norway Rat – Rattus norvegicus – The adult Norway rat has a large, stocky body, usually weighing between 12 and 16 ounces. The coarse fur that covers them is reddish to grayish brown, and may have white underparts. (other variations do exist, including rare, all-black rats). The blunt nose and small ears are distinctive to this species. Unlike other common varieties of rats, the Norway rat’s tail is not as long as it body and head combined (other species have tails that are distinctively longer). Physically, rats are superior to many other species, being able to swim up to 1/2 mile or tread water for as long as three days, jumping vertically almost three feet, and being able to drop from heights as high as 50 feet without sustaining injury. Rats are also highly intelligent creatures, and quite often a homeowner setting a trap for them may catch one or two, but will never catch another (though they do continue to show themselves). Rats also exhibit signs of “neophobia” (fear of new things), which can account for their bait shyness and ability to avoid traps.
House Mouse – Mus domesticus (or Deer Mouse – Peromyscus maniculatus) – This mouse has a small, slender body, weighing in at 1/2 to 1 ounce. The ears are large, and the tail is as long as the head and body together. The fur is usually dark grey on the back and light grey on the belly, but other variations are known to exist. Mice will eat just about any food, and can survive for quite some time with no water, having specialized bodies that are capable of extraordinary water conservation. The behavior of these pests changes with each colony, but constant exploration familiarized them with their home area, and allows them to memorize the most easily accessible feeding and watering locations, as well as hiding places and burrow entrances.
