Washoe County, Reno Rat Control Situation:
Which is easier to trap- mice or rats?
These are very confusing animals. They look the same and the only major distinction is that one is big while the other is very small. They are enemies; one will hunt down the other and destroy it.
How do you tell you are dealing with a mouse or a rat?
Rats are medium-sized rodents that are classified to be having a long and thin tail while a mouse is a small sized (sparrow-sized) rodent that also has a long but thin tail. Rats are different from the mice in several areas. They have genetic differences, morphological differences, growth differences, and anatomical differences. All this will help us know the real rodent and the ease of catching them.
Genetic differences
It is proven that the rats have 22 chromosomes but the house mice have 20 chromosomes. The genes of a rat have some counterparts while that of a rat has a genome.
Morphological differences
In general the rats are much stronger, larger and heavier than the house mice. The body parts of the rats are much developed than those of the mice.
Growth differences
The mice will generally take a shorter period of growth than the rats. Rats will generally take longer to develop than the mice. Rats' gestation takes an average of 24 days while the mice take 20 day.
Anatomical differences
Rats have six nipples while the mice only have a pair of five.
Which are easier to trap?
Without knowing what you are dealing with, it might be difficult to hold/capture the rodent. Now that we have looked the differences, we can now determine which is hard to trap.
Rats are very hard to trap believe it or not. This comes because of the fact that the mice are very curious to know about new things while the rats are cautious of the new things they find their way.
Therefore, the rats will tend to avoid the new things and therefore not be trapped easily. Mice go for it and get caught in the process.
Therefore, you need to unset the traps in the paths of the rats and place them in unusual places. For mice, you can just set the trap in the path and they will get caught. Therefore, rats are very hard to trap due to their curiousness.
Finally
Before embarking in any trapping, you need to first of all understand the kind of rodent you are dealing with. Then afterwards decide on the method of trapping to use.
Reno Rat Control Tip of The Week
Do Rats Pose A Threat To Dogs, Cats, Or Other Pets?
Toxoplasmosis:
There is a parasite that mice and rats can become infected with that causes health conditions in dogs and cats. Toxoplasmosis can cause diarrhea and severe flu in many dogs and it can also change digestive tract functions in cats. This will often be presented as an early infection that leads to a severe flu that can make it difficult for your pet to enjoy a good quality of life. This sickness can also be spread to humans just as easily as it could be spread along to animals.
Roundworms:
Rats often carry roundworms that can be passed on to other animals in your home. There's a variety of medications that can be delivered to treat infections like roundworms. This can also be passed along to humans and if you're experiencing ongoing headaches, digestive issues, fever, or rashes it could be possible that you have been infected.
They Multiply Quickly:
The threat that rats can pose multiplies quickly because they can have an average of 84 babies throughout the course of the year. Working to manage a rat problem can be crucial in the earliest stages before it becomes worse. Without ongoing management of your rat problem, you may end up in a situation where it becomes more difficult to handle the population you are faced with.
Anxiety:
Rats may also cause anxiety in many of your pets. Hearing the ongoing noises in the walls, knowing that they're rather close by and even feeling threatened by rats can be problematic especially for the family pet. Rather than having the ongoing stress that rats can pose for your dog or cat, it may be wise to consider the option of getting a professional exterminator to manage the rat population in your home.
