# Rat or Mouse



## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

Length of body?
Length of tail?

We have no scale with which to judge the size.

Chris


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## n00n807 (Apr 11, 2020)

Hi Chris,


I totally wasn't thinking about that when I tossed it. It's in the bottom of a Canadian Tire bucket that is about 10" diameter?

I would guess 4-5 inches long body when standing and 3-4 inches for the tail.


Thanks for any help you might be!!


Corby


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## Chris616 (Dec 31, 2019)

For the two common types of rats in Canada, the tail to body length ratio can be used to help identification. The black rat has a tail that is longer than the body, so it’s not that. The brown (Norway) rat has a tail slightly shorter than the body, but the body can be 6-11” long. When viewed from above, a mouse has a triangular shaped snout, whereas a rat has a more blunt one. Based on those things, it’s more likely to be a mouse, but it does seem quite large for a mouse if your recollection is correct.

Where I live, cutting the grass disturbs voles, which look like very large mice.

Chris


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## n00n807 (Apr 11, 2020)

Thanks Chris. We do have a few rats in town but more near the waterfront (grain elevators)...Either way, we need to get rid of it/them. It could have been 'shorter' in the body as well...


Thanks again.


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## Bud9051 (Nov 11, 2015)

This time of year you could be dealing with a new born. 
Did you catch it in a trap? Rats are much smarter than mice and mice are often easy to catch. Look for any droppings, mice droppings are considerably smaller.

Obviously continue the trapping effort and search for other signs.

Where did you find this one?

Bud


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## Old Thomas (Nov 28, 2019)

If it was at my house it would be either a dead rat or a dead mouse.


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## dj3 (Apr 27, 2020)

It's a rat.


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