Common Rodents List for DIY’s

There are hundreds of rodent species in the world. Any species that is attracted to your land has the potential to enter your house if there is an entrance, even if only a small number of them pose a threat to humans. In the industrialized world, the following rodent species are among the most often seen ones:

Brown Rat (also known as Norway Rat, Sewer Rat, etc.)

Rats are known to haunt basements and rubbish heaps, where they will gnaw through almost anything to get food or drink. Rats can enter houses via gaps as small as quarter inch and are carriers of the cowpox virus, jaundice, and other ailments.

Deer mouse (aka field mouse, white-footed mouse)

The deer mouse is one of the primary vectors of the fatal Hantavirus, which is found in rural and suburban regions throughout the eastern two-thirds of the United States. Nesting in barns, burrows, garages, and under decks, the 4-inch animal is identifiable by its reddish-brown back, white legs and breast, and black, beady eyes.

Dormouse

This nocturnal, deep-sleeping mammal is gregarious during its half-year hibernation. A little animal, the dormouse averages four inches in length, and is recognized by its round ears and reddish hair.

Gopher

This mouse, which has short tails and can reach lengths of 5 to 12 inches, is found in North and Central America. Its mane can be either brown or gray. It reserves food for the winter months without hibernating. Gophers dig their own tunnels, using their long teeth and claws to do it. The species is solitary by nature and only forms partnerships in the mating season. Although gophers are not dangerous to people, they have a bad reputation for destroying gardens, electricity cables, and pipelines.

House Mouse

This is the most common rodent seen by American householders. House mice can contaminate food, chew through walls, and make their nests in dark areas such as attics and basements. Mice are carriers of Salmonella, tapeworms, and other illnesses.

Mole

Moles are known to cause havoc on lawns, pastures, and well-manicured vegetation because they nest in tunnels that can reach a depth of 12 inches below the surface. With its strong, pointed claws, the animal paddles through the dirt, plows through roots, bulbs, and plants.

Pack Rat

Although it can reach a maximum length of 18 inches when counting its tail, this unusually big rodent is mostly found in the Southwestern regions of North and Central America.

Pocket mouse

This squirrel-like animal, whose populations range from Western Canada to South America, is usually found in semi-desert regions. The length of pocket mice varies from 3 to 12 inches, depending on the species.

Roof rat (also known as black, fruit, ship, or Alexandrian rats)

This mouse, as its name suggests, is a frequent visitor to attics, ceilings, and other high, dim storage spaces. The animal is omnivorous by nature, consuming up to an ounce of food and water daily. Its diet consists of berries, eggs, fruits, grains, meats, seeds, and vegetables.

Vole

More than 40 species of this round-bodied, brown-coated, short-tailed animal can be found in different environments in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Vole populations can increase to the point that they swarm outside of their turfs.