ABOUT RODENTS

Rodents, also known as Rodentians, are characterized by a single pair of continuously growing incisors on each jaw. It's with these jaws that they create much of their damage. Their jaws enable them to gnaw their food, chew up anything they find in their path, make galleries, etc.

Note that the shape of a rodent varies from one species to another. For the most part, however, they are small in size, with stout bodies, small legs and long tails. They also have more mixed diets, but the majority feed on seeds or other plant matter.

HOW TO IDENTIFY RODENTS?

Black Rat

Rat Noir (Rattus rattus)

Black Rat (Rattus rattus)

  • Muzzle: Pointed
  • Eyes: Large
  • Ears: Large
  • Tail: Longer than its body
  • Length: 32 - 46 cm (with tail)
  • Color: Black to hazel with lighter underside

 

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Norway Rat

Surmulot - Rat brun - Rat d'égout

Norway Rat (Rattus norvegicus), also known as Sewer Rat, Brown Rat

  • Muzzle: Beveled
  • Eyes: Small
  • Ears: Small
  • Tail: Shorter than its body
  • Length: 40 - 50 cm (with tail)
  • Color: May vary, brown coat

 

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Mouse

Souris sylvestre
  • Muzzle: Pointed
  • Eyes: Small
  • Ears: Medium-sized
  • Tail: almost hairless
  • Length: approximately 2 1/2 - 3 1/2 inches with a tail length of 2 3/4 - 4 inches
  • Color: brownish to dark gray

 

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Field Mouse

Mulot

Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus)

 

  • Length: 9.5 to 11 cm
  • Weight: 15 to 30 g
  • Tail: between 69 and 115 mm
  • Lifespan: 18 to 20 months maximum, often less than a year
  • Color: gray-brown to dark brown, white-gray to whitish underside
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Vole

Source wikipedia

Vole (Microtus arvalis)

  • Length: 9 to 13 cm
  • Weight: 18 to 50 g
  • Life expectancy: 18 months
  • Tail length: 3 to 4.5 cm
  • Color: grayish-brown above, yellowish-gray below

 

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Squirrel

Écureuil

Squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris)

  • Length: 18 to 25 cm
  • Tail: 16 to 20 cm
  • Weight: 600 grams
  • Lifespan: six to seven years
  • Color: varies from light red to brown-black

 

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Black rat : Rattus rattus

  • Zoological Name: Rattus rattus
  • Dimensions: length 16 to 23.5 cm, plus 19 to 25 cm for tail
  • Weight 145 to 215 g.
  • Reproduction: after a gestation period of 22 to 24 days, 6 to 12 young are born, naked and blind, opening their eyes at 2 weeks; very early sexual maturity.
  • Habitat: upper parts of buildings; also found in the wild
  • Geographical distribution: Europe (very localized in Scandinavia and England).
  • Habits: mainly nocturnal; not very complex communities.
ratus ratus

Black rat reproduction

Each female black rat gives birth 2 or 3 times a year, with 6 to 12 young in each litter. With its pointed snout, the black rat's large, hairless ears spread wide.

Description of the black rat

rat noir ratus ratus

This rodent, like its consort the mouse, a human commensal especially in coastal regions, has a coat of variable color: there are totally gray strains, others with grayish-brown backs and white or gray bellies. There are numerous subspecies, such as Rattus rattus, sometimes completely black, Rattus rattus alexandrinus and Rattus rattus frugivorus, which live in the wild or near houses in warmer regions. All these subspecies can interbreed.

The black rat's head is pointed, the ears are large and pink, and the front legs end in 4 toes and are smaller than the hind legs, which have 5 toes.

rat noir face

The tail is generally longer than the body and covered with 200 to 260 hairless, scaly rings. This very light animal leaves hardly any visible traces of its passage, so it's impossible to recognize species solely by their footprints.

The droppings, on the other hand, are specific in shape and location.

The black rat is a good climber, and usually frequents attics and the upper parts of dwellings, avoiding competition with the Norway rat or mouse, which prefer cellars and basements. The places where it lives can be recognized by the greasy marks left by the rubbing of its fur, in particulier sur les poutres ou le long des murs.

Norway Rat

The Norway Rat, an aggressive rat

  • Zoological Name: Rattus norvegicus
  • Dimensions: length 21.4 to 28 cm, plus 17 to 22 cm for tail
  • Weight: 275 to 520 g.
  • Reproduction: After a gestation period of 22 to 24 days, they are born naked and blind. At 15 days, they open their eyes and are completely covered in hair.
  • Maturity: Adult at 3 months
  • Breeding: average of 8 young, 3 to 5 litters per year
  • Habitat: close to humans
  • Geographic distribution: worldwide
  • Habits: active at dusk
  • Complex social: communities

Getting to know the Norway warbler

The Norway Rat, or black rat, is a rather aggressive omnivore. A pack of hungry rats won't hesitate to attack a mammal of respectable size, such as a rabbit or a pig.

surmulot ou rat brun

If they are confined to small islands, they succeed in radically eliminating all other animals from the ecological niche concerned.
The Norway Rats native region is the steppes of Asia, northern China and Mongolia, where these rodents still live in the wild today.

Like all animals of the genus Rattus in general, surmulots often live as human commensals, forming a rather strange and fearsome class of "domestic" animals.

We don't like them, we chase them, but they continue to prove their unfailing loyalty to mankind. Since they began living in the company of man, they have forcibly conquered new areas of distribution all over the world.

They are robust in appearance, with a pointed muzzle, gray-brown fur on the back and dirty gray on the belly. There is also a black and an albino rat form, used as laboratory test subjects.

How surmulots live

Unlike the black rat, which almost never digs galleries, surmulots establish a dense, complex network of gutters at a shallow depth (40 to 50 centimeters), with an elaborate system of communications;

From place to place, chambers more or less densely lined with hay open up. In front of the exits, which have a diameter of 6 to 8 centimetres, excavated earth is piled up. The droppings, which resemble those of the black rat, are deposited in specific places.

surmulot rat brun

They often feed on foods of animal origin, such as small rodents and fish, but they do not disdain other forms of food.

They usually carry this food inside the den to consume it in peace. They are most active at night.

Norway Rat reproduction

When a female is in heat, she emits a secretion with a distinctive odor that signals her condition. Males in the vicinity of this trail follow her by scent until they reach the entrance to the female's den.

surmulot

Then they rub themselves on the ground to impregnate it with their own scent, after which the female comes out of retreat to sniff her suitors on the snout. This ritual can last a whole night and the following day; the following night, the female comes out and the males come after her.

When one of them manages to reach her, the female hides in a corner and mating takes place. Then she suddenly withdraws, and the whole ceremony starts all over again. At the moment of mating, the other males remain around, on the alert, ready to resume the race.

Exceptionally, the long, scaly tails of very young surmulots, also known as sewer rats, become entwined in an inextricable knot: each rat is thus indissolubly bound to its fellow rats; unable to free itself, it quickly dies of hunger and thirst.

Mouse

Identify mice, recognize them, exterminate them.

  • French name: Souris, Souris domestique
  • English name: Mouse, House mouse
  • Latin name: Mus musculus
  • Class: Mammalia
  • Order: Rodentia
  • Family Rodentia: Muridae

The word mouse is used to designate both the domestic species (known as the white mouse) and the common mouse that populates our cities.

The term is also used to designate a host of other rodent species in the Murine subfamily (mice, rats and various field mice, voles, lemmings, muskrats).

In the country, mice are brown or grey

A particularly urban animal, the house mouse has large ears and a coat ranging from light brown to dark gray, with a lighter underside.

In the countryside, the deer mouse is brown or grey, with white legs and belly.
It is easily identified by its two-tone tail (the underside of the tail is white). Shortly before winter, it looks for a place to shelter from the elements. It can also settle comfortably in your home to establish its colony in barns and sheds located near fields or in wooded areas.

Prolific breeding.Extermination des Souris dans votre maison

A mouse doesn't stay unique in your home for long: in the wild, it only lives for around twelve months, but that's enough time to give birth to up to 8 litters, each with between 5 and 12 young. The young are born blind and naked, weighing just a few grams - a frightening potential for the species to multiply!

If you do nothing in your home, you could find yourself harboring a teeming colony in just a few months! It's time to take action and exterminate mice.

  • Reproduction: year-round.
  • Sexual maturity: reached at five to six weeks (male 45 days, female 40 to 45 days).
  • Number of litters: up to 10 possible per year.
  • Gestation: 18 to 21 days.
  • Number of young per litter: 5 to 12, sometimes 15.
  • Weaning: 4 weeks.

Mouse chicks are nidicolous, meaning they are born hairless and blind, and suckle their mother's milk for two to three weeks.

What are the different types of mice and their specific behaviors?

Mice are fascinating and diverse creatures that play an important role in our ecosystem. There are many species of mouse, each with its own unique characteristics and behaviors. In this article, we'll explore the different types of mice and their specific behaviors.

Domestic Mice

House mice are the most common and well-known of all mice. They are small, with long, slender bodies, thin tails and large ears. House mice are generally brown or gray in color, but white and black mice also exist.

House mice are social animals that live in groups. They are very active at night and spend the day sleeping in nests they build from materials such as paper, cloth and leaves. House mice feed on seeds, cereals, fruit and vegetables.

The Deer Mouse

Deer mice are larger than house mice and have longer, thicker fur. They are brown or gray in color, with a white belly. Deer mice live in forests and fields, and feed on seeds, nuts and fruit.

Deer mice are solitary animals and do not live in groups. They are very territorial, defending their territory against other mice. Deer mice are also very cautious and avoid humans.

Mouse Mulottes or Mulots

Field mice are the smallest of the mice. They have short, stocky bodies, short tails and small ears. Field mice are brown or gray in color, with a white belly. They live in fields and meadows, feeding on seeds, insects and worms.

Field mice are social animals that live in groups. They are very active at night and spend the day sleeping in burrows they dig in the ground. Field mice are very prolific and can reproduce several times a year.

Thorny Mice

Spiny mice are mice with long, sharp hairs on their backs. These hairs are very prickly and can be used to defend against predators. Spiny mice are brown or gray in color, with a white belly. They live in deserts and arid regions, feeding on seeds, fruits and cacti.

Spiny mice are solitary animals that do not live in groups. They are very territorial, defending their territory against other mice. Spiny mice are also very cautious and avoid humans.

Conclusion

Mice are fascinating and diverse creatures that play an important role in our ecosystem. There are many species of mouse, each with its own unique characteristics and behaviors. In this article, we explore the different types of mice and their specific behaviors.

Vole

Field vole: everything you need to know about their life cycle

Find out more about the life cycle of these small rodents

Here's what you need to know about the life cycle of field vole:

French name: Mulot
English name: vole
Latin name: Apodemus sylvaticus
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodent
Family: Muridae

Mice, rats and other species of rodents are notorious for residing inside walls and may require a muscular method to combat them. In this article you'll learn more about field mice in your walls, and we'll explain how to put an end to an invasion of field mice in your home or garden.

Le mulot sylvestre (Apodemus sylvaticus) est considéré comme un rongeur nuisible.

Also known as the field vole (Microtus pennsylvanicus), the field mouse is both a diurnal and nocturnal rodent, which means it moves around both day and night. Its hair is long, and its tail is shorter than its body. Compared to the mouse, it has small ears, which are almost hairless and hidden under its fur, so they are barely visible. Finally, it has small, protruding black eyes.mulot

It measures 7 to 15 cm, and its tail lengthens it by a further 6 to 8 cm. Weight is around 20 to 35 grams, but some field mice have been found to weigh up to 65 grams.

At birth, young field mice weigh less than 3 g.

A habitat driven by the need to eat.

They build their colonies in fallow fields, green meadows and wetlands (near rivers, lakes and marshes). Forests and clearings also suit them well.

The various crops in the vicinity, such as alfalfa and grasses of all kinds, determine the location of its nest or burrow.

It avoids tall grass and high humidity. 

They build their nests so that they are well hidden and safe from predators, such as in a bush, under a pile of stones, inside a stump or in a small burrow.campagnol 2

Nests are often found on the ground, made from dried grass twigs and rounded in shape.

Once winter is over and all the snow has melted, you can sometimes see mounds of earth or a crossroads of small tunnels dug under the lawn, a visible sign of their passage. Care must be taken not to fall, as the soil can sink in when walked on.

Prolific breeder

It's a well-known fact that field mice are prolific breeders, with females able to procreate as early as one month old and males at 6 weeks. Mice mate all year round, with a peak between early spring and late autumn..

mulot et bebes

Females can have 3 to 6 litters a year, giving birth to 4 to 6 pups each time.

The gestation period is only 19 to 21 days, and the pups are born hairless and blind. It takes around twenty days for them to be weaned by their mother and then follow their parents in search of food.

In the wild, because of predators, they only live for a year, whereas in captivity they can live up to 36 months.

Mating, a highly fertile rodent

  • Field mice are really fertile rodents. They reproduce at any time of year.
  • But their reproductive capacity is even greater between early spring and late autumn;

Reproduction

  • The reproduction of female field mice is fascinating.
  • In fact, a female field mouse can procreate as early as one month of age. As for the male, he will have to wait until he is 6 weeks old before mating with a female;

Small field mice giving birth

  • Female field mice have 3 to 6 litters a year. And she has 4 to 6 young per litter.
  • Note that the little field mice are born blind and hairless;

Weaning field mice.

  • Baby field mice are weaned within 20 days of giving birth. They can then follow their parents in search of food.
  • It should also be noted that this parasite, also known as the field rat, has a life expectancy of 18 to 20 months. However, it can live much longer.

Field mouse food: Grains, worms, blackberries, a varied menu

Voles love corn, wheat and oat kernels above all, but also feed on vegetation such as buds and moss, and like certain types of berries such as blackberries.

When it's short of food, it can also feed on different kinds of insects such as millipedes, caterpillars, earthworms and others.

During the winter, it may nibble the bark of certain trees or shrubs, to the great dismay of homeowners. To prevent this from happening, install a wire mesh at the base of the tree to protect its roots from vole damage.

Small rodents, but big crop destroyers

The field mouse is an efficient little rodent, capable of "cleaning up" a large quantity of weeds, which is why its presence is appreciated.

However, they also cause considerable damage to young fruit trees, cereal crops and alfalfa, and are particularly disliked in fields where corn, wheat and oats are grown, as they devour everything in their path.

The life span of a field mouse is 18 to 20 months. Very few live from one summer to the next. For those who have managed to survive the winter, the end of their lives comes in the spring.

Its predators are numerous.

The field mouse has many predators, such as weasels, skunks, cats, owls and, of course, humans.

If pursued, as they are small in size, they try to flee by making great leaps, and as they are very agile, they climb trees to escape danger..

Field Mouse

  • Zoological name: Apodemus sylvaticus.
  • Dimensions: length 7.7 to 11.2 cm, plus 1.9 to 2.5 cm for the tail; weight 14 to 28 g.
  • Reproduction: after a gestation period of 23 to 26 days, 3 to 8 young are born in 2 or 3 litters per year. They open their eyes at 13 days and are independent at 3 weeks.
  • Habitat: coppices, hedges, margins.
  • Geographical distribution: all America (except Far North regions).
  • Habits: active at dusk and at night; naturally sociable and gregarious.

Description of the Field Mouse in its Quebec environment

Exterminateur de mulot: mulot sylvestre de jardin gris

The Field Mouse (also known as the Gray Mouse) often lives in houses and attics, where grain and crops are stored, but especially in hedges and woods.
In the wild, the Field Mouse is essentially a vegetarian, but it does not disdain insects that happen to fall into its path.

It's not uncommon to come across a Field Mouse that has infiltrated your home, easily recognizable by its long ears and large eyes.

Also known as the Grey Mouse because of its coat.

Its coat varies from reddish-brown to grayish-brown, with lighter underparts.

Its hind legs are long, which is why it often jumps, but it is also a good swimmer and an agile runner.

Feeding the Field Mouse

At dusk and during the night, they go in search of food: a small quantity of high-calorie seeds is enough for the whole day.

To eat in peace, he usually carries his food in his burrow; however, if he finds fruit too large to carry, he covers it with dead leaves, adopting a technique that falls somewhere between the squirrel's habit of burying his reserves on the ground and the typical rat's method of carrying food inside the den.

To extract pine nuts, he gnaws on pine cones in a characteristic way. Sitting on the ground, he hulls them by holding them between his two front paws, so as to have a scale right in front of him; with his incisors, he gnaws it halfway down, until, by turning his head with a single sharp blow, he can detach it. The pine nuts are thus exposed, and the Mulot extracts them from the shell and eats them.

Then he picks up the pine cone he'd left on the ground and starts on another shell. To get at the hazelnut kernel, he also has his own technique: first he makes a small hole in the shell (the lower incisors work like pliers, thanks to the mobility of the two parts of the mandible) and nibbles everything he can, then he enlarges the hole. It also feeds on green plant parts, peelings and sometimes small invertebrates.

In open areas, the Field Mouse digs a network of galleries up to 1 metre deep, leading to a chamber lined with dry grass. The hole is about 3 to 4 centimetres in diameter, and can be identified by a small conical pile of earth.

Why are field mice harmful?

The Field Mouse (Apodemus sylvaticus) is considered a rodent pest because it digs up seeds before they have germinated. This rodent causes serious damage to seedlings in forestry operations.

However, the negative impact should be put into perspective, as rodents are also important vectors for seed dispersal.

As is often the case in nature, they therefore play both a positive and a negative role in forest health.

Squirrel

  • About squirrels

    Squirrel classification

    • Kingdom: animal
    • Sub-kingdom: metazoan
    • Type: chordate
    • Sub-type: vertebrate
    • Class: mammalian
    • Order: rodent
    • Family: sciuridae
    • Genus: Tamias
    • Sub-genres: Tamias, Neotamias, Eutamias

    Types of squirrels

    Écureuil roux américain
    Écureuil roux américain

    In Quebec, there are two types of squirrel: Eastern Grey Squirrel and American Red Squirrel.

    Generally speaking, these types are very similar, apart from the difference in color (obviously!) and a slight difference in size. Some urban squirrels will look a lot bigger than others, but it's a safe bet that the latter feed mainly on fast-food chain garbage cans!

    Behaviour and lifestyle habits

    These animals are territorial and tend to defend their space against other squirrels. That's why we so often notice one squirrel chasing another, or running around a tree.

    The squirrel has a very good spatial memory and remembers precisely where it hides its provisions. It builds leaf nests in trees. It moves regularly, to avoid fleas invading its nest. So it's a relatively clean animal.

    Greedy, the squirrel feeds on what it finds. They mainly eat nuts and conifer coconuts.

    Squirrels do not hibernate. However, they do seek shelter from the cold in our attics. This is also when they reproduce.

    Reproduction

    A female has four cubs per litter. They are weaned within four weeks and stay with their mother for up to five months. Mature, they remain close to their mother and siblings.

    Lifespan depends on the species:

    • Red squirrels live an average of 6 years
    • Grey squirrel lives twice as long, 12 years

    Extensive damage

    The extent of damage caused by squirrels depends on how long they've been under your roof. If your housemates are staying for several weeks, or even months, you can expect to have to carry out major repairs.

    Smelly squirrel droppings

    Just like mice, squirrels sneak in everywhere, between the walls and on the insulating foam, making it less and less efficient, which significantly increases your heating bill. Also, their urine and droppings, left here and there, emit foul smells and can have an impact on your health. So if you come across squirrel droppings in your home, take action and don't wait.

    Prevent invasion before it happens

    Avoid feeding them, either for pleasure, or involuntarily via bird feeders. These "nut-eaters" are very greedy and skilful. Agile climbers, they move easily from branch to branch and over the roofs of houses. So seeds, which you might think are only for birds, could well be eaten more by squirrels.

    To make it a little harder for them to get around, consider trimming the branches near your house. Clean your gutters at least once a year. Finally, check the condition of your house siding.

    Squirrels have strong incisors, which they must continually maintain by gnawing. So they gnaw away at rotting materials in your home, penetrating them and taking up residence in your roof or attic.