Mice are smaller than rats.
Rats and mice have many differences and similarities. It is challenging to pinpoint specific areas of difference and similarity, as there are many types of both animals. The two species are usually compared by evaluating the differences between house mice (Mus musculus) and Norwegian or black mice (Rattus norvegicus and Rattus rattus). They may also be called house rats or mice or domesticated versions of each species.
Mice make better pets than mice.
Mice and rats cannot interbreed, although they are related. Evolutionary biologists believe that the two species share an ancestor, in the same way that tigers and cheetahs are probably related. Each type of animal evolved differently, selecting for certain traits that seem to have been most helpful in ensuring survival.
Simply from a visual point of view, you will notice the immediate difference between Norwegian or black mice and house mice. Mice are much bigger. At maturity, they weigh about 12.35 to 22.93 ounces (350 to 650 g) and have a body length of about 9 to 11 inches (22.86 to 27.94 cm). They have long tails, with an average length of 20.32 cm. Their tails are thick and heavy.
A brown mouse.
A mouse, by contrast, can weigh one-tenth the weight of a rat and weigh approximately 1 to 1.76 ounces (30 to 50 grams). Mice are shorter, about half the size of rats. They have an average body length of around 3-4 inches (7.62-10.16 cm), and their tails can be a bit more balanced with their bodies, measuring around 3-4 inches. Mice’s tails are very thin and sometimes barely noticeable compared to mice’s tails, which are much wider and longer.
The classic spring-loaded mousetrap is designed to kill the rodent.
At least compared to rats and mice of the aforementioned species, rats’ ears tend to be smaller in proportion to their heads and can appear larger, with coarser features than their distant relatives. Mice generally have delicate features and more pointed faces than rats. From a chromosomal point of view, the differences become even more striking.
Although there is a relationship between rats and mice, their different species are different at microscopic levels. Mice have a greater number of chromosome pairs, 22, compared to 20 pairs in the mouse. When they are kept together as pets, they can create problems between them. Rats can kill rats and eat rats, most commonly in non-domesticated environments, and the presence of rats in a home can seriously upset a rat. They may breed less or panic. If you want rats and mice as pets, you should consider keeping them in separate rooms.
If you are considering any of the animals as pets, mice tend to be the best choice. They are generally more intelligent and get along better with humans than with mice. There are exceptions and there are some wonderful pets. However, in general, rats turn out to be the best pets and the easiest to train.
These differences between rats and mice can change depending on the different species being compared. Both have very short life expectancies in the wild, with around 70% dying before their first birthday. In captivity, life expectancy can be similar. Mice can live longer, about five years, but many die by two or three years of age. Rats can live between three and four years in captivity. The short lifespan of these animals may not make them ideal pets for young children.