Mice and rats both are rodents. Though they both look similar, they can be distinguished based on their size. The rats are heavier and larger while mice have slender figures, but can rats and mice live in the same area?
Yes, rats and mice can live in the same area. If both of their populations expand, there are chances that they will cross paths with one another and compete for life-sustaining sources like food and shelter.
This article will read about the various factors that put together the mice and the rats in the same area. Moreover, we will look at how to get rid of each of them.
Rats vs. Mice
When it comes to combat, the rats act by attacking mice and killing them off for good. The rats have a fiery nature and will do anything to preserve and sustain their own life.
If they feel the mice threaten their existence, the rats will attack them and take their lives.
Eventually, the population of mice will reduce in that area, and rats will emerge victorious, resulting in mice deciding to leave that area for good.
Can Mice And Rats Live In The Same House?
It is unlikely that both will live in the same house, as the rats are predators of outdoor mice.
They will feed on them. However, if they have been kept and raised as pets, it is a different story.
For rats and mice who have been kept as pets, they can reside together and live in the same house.
You do not even have to cage them. However, caging becomes necessary if the rats start hurting or attacking the mice living in them.
Can Rats And Mice Live In The Same Cage?
You can have rats and mice in the same area and house, but it is impossible to have them inside the same cage. The rats do not bear the presence of mice and will attack them indeed.
Some rats are so aggressive that they will attack the mice and injure them so severely that the mice will die out on their own. The rats can also feed on dead mice as a food source.
Can Rats And Mice Live Together As Pets?
Mice and rats are both social creatures. Each of them prefers to live in a group or in pairs.
However, it is hard for them to pair up with one another. A rat will preferably pair with a rat, while mice will most likely pair with a mouse.
However, if they have been brought up in a household from the time they were in infancy, then it is possible that they can survive and live together as pets with one.
However, the mice and rats should not be housed together.
What Happens If You Put Rats And Mice Together?
Rats can easily live together with the other rats as they consider their family members.
However, when it comes to mice, there is a clash between the two of them.
It is most likely that the rat will attack the mice and other small rodents that reside.
Rodents considered territorial (i.e., like rats) should not be put with other species due to the fear of developing a predator-prey relation between the two.
Do Mice Fear Rats?
Yes, the mice are afraid of the rats—these two types of rodents nest in different areas.
The mice are commonly found inside (for instance, in homes, offices, buildings, etc.); rats, on the other hand, usually live outside.
They hunt down other small animals and consume them as a food source.
Usually, the mice and rats do not interact, nor do they breed with one another. The mice fear rats. The odor of a rat acts as a strong deterrent for the mice.
The mice are color blind; that is why they rely on their senses of touch, taste, smell, and hearing to keep themselves alert and protected.
Are Rats Worse Than Mice?
When it comes to having them in your home, both kinds are the worse as both bring a set of problems with them that are hard to cater to.
The rats are generally large and more aggressive than the mice.
If a rat feels threatened, it can bite as well.
Moreover, it can also kill off mice and eat them. That is why the mice are timid, and it is in their innate nature to hide from rats.
Do Rats Eat Mice?
Yes, rats do eat mice. They do this for several reasons:
The mice have occupied their territory, and now the rats want them gone.
There is a food shortage, and the rats want the lesser competition.
The mice have been feeding on rats’ food, and rats do not like this. That is why they attack them and eliminate them one by one.
They both fight for shelter, and the mice lose to rats.
Do Rats Eat Mice In Traps?
The mouse traps are ineffective for the rats. Similarly, the rat traps are useless for the mice.
The rats are smart enough to eat the lure from many mouse traps and escape these traps without triggering them in any way.
Rats have longer bodies; they can get to the bait quickly, grab it and then run away.
On the other hand, Mice are not able to perceive this and usually end up getting trapped very easily in simple household traps.
What’s Harder To Get Rid Of Rats Or Mice?
It is hard for pest professionals to get rid of rats rather than mice. Usually, the nesting places of the rats are in underneath the ground and are difficult to find.
Moreover, the rats come inside only to get what they want and then be off with it.
On the other hand, Mice do not step out of their territory unless they are driven out due to the shortage of food or shelter.
That is why it is easier to trap mice and kill them. You have to be on the lookout for rats to trap them and then finish them off.
How To Get Rid Of Mice And Rats Naturally?
There are a number of ways by which you can get rid of mice and rats.
The primary step is to block all entries and exits of the house.
- Use cayenne pepper to keep rats and mice away.
- Buy peppermint oil and put it at the house’s entrances.
- The use of cloves and red pepper is also effective in keeping the mice and rats away.
- Usually, rats can be driven away by the smell of ammonia as well. So, bleach is also effective in keeping them out of bound.
- The best natural way of getting rid of rats and mice is by keeping a cat. A cat is always on the lookout for rodents and hunts them down immediately.
- Use essential oil like garlic and clove oils. You can apply these near entrances.
- Apple cider and water. The apple cider vinegar can be sprinkled on the edges of doors and holes. It will drive the mice to come out of their hiding places.
- Fabric softener sheets can be stuffed in the door gaps. It will keep the mice out of your home by preventing their entry.
What Kills Rats And Mice Instantly?
To get rid of the rats fast, you need to use traps. The snap traps are the best. You can put them here and there in your area with bait inside them.
Here is how the rats and mice will get trapped in them:
- The snap traps must be placed where the mice or the rats can see them.
- The snap traps must have a bait (usually a food source) inside them.
- The bait must have some sort of toxin in it.
- Once a rat or mouse takes the bait, the snap trap snaps shut
- The mice or the rat don’t need to die due to the rodent toxin.
- Other alternatives include shooting them with a shotgun inside the cage.
Wrapping Up
The rats and mice can live in the same area; however, the presence of rats jeopardizes the existence of mice. Therefore, it is recommended that they both must be kept in separate spaces, allowing each of them to propagate on their own.
Moreover, the rats can be aggressive and kill off mice. Rats usually live outside while the mice reside indoors. You can get rid of each one of them simply by setting traps or making use of natural remedies.
References
- Pritchett-Corning KR, Chang FT, Festing MF. Breeding and housing laboratory rats and mice in the same room do not affect the growth or reproduction of either species. J Am Assoc Lab Anim Sci. 2009;48(5):492-498.
