For any layman, rodents such as mice and rats look almost the same. There are people who believe that mice are young rats, but this is completely untrue. In this material, we will try to reveal how mice differ from rats, what are the main differences between them, as well as the behavior of these animals, which are pests in the wild.
Species of animals and their features
Both species, both rats and mice, belong to rodents. One of the main differences is that animals cannot be crossed (the rat has 22 chromosomes, and the mouse has only 20). Rats belong to the class of mammalian rodents (suborder mice). It is this animal that is considered one of the most ancient and widespread on Earth.
What is the difference between mice and rats? Of course, in size: rats are several orders of magnitude larger and have a large mass. As a rule, an adult mouse reaches several inches in length (excluding the tail), but rats can grow to quite impressive sizes (up to one foot in length). The tail of a black rat is covered with thick and stiff hair, and its length is equal to or greater than the length of the body (there are short-tailed species). But the tails of many species are covered with rare villi and flakes of an annular shape.
What is the difference between mice and rats: the main signs
The body of the mouse is small and round, with a short rounded muzzle and large bead eyes. The hearing organs in mice also have considerable dimensions in comparison with the head, in contrast to rats they are thinner and rounded. The characteristic external difference of the rat is the more pointed shape of the muzzle and oblong-pointed ears. The rat tail is much thicker and longer than the mouse. For those who want to visually compare the difference between a mouse and a rat, photos will be an excellent assistant in this matter.
The mouse coat is silky and soft, a particularly striking example of the difference is the fur of a mature male rat, more like a rough pile. Of course, most ordinary people are unlikely to ever want to intentionally touch these animals in order to make sure the difference, but for those who kept such pets, this difference is obvious.
The jaws of rats have two pairs of fairly long incisors. The main molars are designed to thoroughly grind food, so they grow in dense rows. Despite the fact that rats are considered predators, they do not have the fangs inherent in the latter. The incisors of animals constantly need grinding, this is due to their constant growth. The teeth of rats are quite strong, the animal with their help can easily gnaw materials such as concrete, brick, a variety of metal alloys.
Another extremely interesting fact of how mice differ from rats is the following: rats have more nipples. There are 10 of them in mice, and two more in rats. But despite this difference, the animals have the same average litter, which is about 8-9 cubs.
Incompatibility reasons
As mentioned above, these rodents do not interbreed. In addition, these animals are natural enemies of nature. It's no secret that the rat destroys the caught prey (mouse), but can eat it in the absence of danger. If an adult rat gets into a place inhabited by mice, then most likely, the latter will be killed or expelled in a fairly short period of time. Note that the very presence of rats in the place where there is a cluster of mice leads to their great concern.
This is because, according to some reports, mice can catch the smell of rats, which for them is the smell of danger. For this reason, pets of different species should not be in the same cage. Therefore, it is important to know how mice differ from rats; signs are extremely significant. After all, if you decide to have such pets, then it is better to keep them away from each other, in separate cages located in different rooms.
Power Features
Both mice and rats are omnivorous animals, this suggests that they can eat almost everything. In addition, I would like to draw attention to the fact that both of these species can exhibit predatory instincts that are more developed in rats than in mice. Wild rats, like wolves, hunt, huddling in packs, at first the intended prey is attacked and subsequently killed. Therefore, if we talk about how mice differ from rats, differences in nutrition will be one of the determining factors.
Mice, unlike rats, rarely prey on animals or insects that exceed them in size. In addition, mice do not hunt in packs, like rats. They do it one by one. In fact, most mice are vegetarians, although if they are offered a piece of meat, they are unlikely to refuse it.
The intelligence of rats and mice: key differences
Rats have a more developed intelligence than mice (this also applies to domesticated rats and mice). But this does not mean at all that the mouse is a bad pet. Decorative rats are very intelligent animals that quickly come in contact, and they quickly become attached to their owner. They lend themselves to training and can express their affection and love. In addition, the decorative domesticated rat knows and responds to its name when it is called to itself, especially if the owner offers some goodies or fun fun.
In fact, the intelligence of a domestic rat can be compared with the intellectual abilities of other pets (cats and dogs). Rats are sociable animals that respond well to people, as evidenced by the love of games. According to many owners of domestic rodents, the latter can even come up with their own amusements and games, later willingly showing them to their owners, inviting them to join the fun.
Who is smarter than rats or mice?
Note that in natural living conditions, rats are smarter than their smaller counterparts - mice. For example, a wild rat is not so easy to catch, this is due to its caution. She will never eat unfamiliar food found in the new territory she has just come to. That is, these animals are much more difficult to trap or poison.
