Rats and mice definitely seem very similar at first glance. They’re both small, furry rodents who spend most of their time in their cage. They also look a lot alike!
But they’re actually quite different from each other when you keep them as pets. And believe it or not, they can’t live together! Rats and mice are natural enemies and rats will kill them out of competition for food, or to eat them.
Mice are a bit like rats in a smaller package. They are both relatively low maintenance pets. Rats are typically friendlier than mice, but mice don’t need as much space, attention or food. Vet care can be surprisingly expensive for both.
Similarities between mice and rats
- They’re both rodents.
- They’re both happy to spend most of their time in a cage.
- They both enjoy foraging for their food, and eat a similar diet.
- They both come in different varieties and coat patterns. They even share some varieties.
- Both love to dig and burrow, and enjoy deep bedding.
- They both love to climb and chew on things!
- They’re both little escape artists.
- They both enjoy cages filled with lots of enrichment items like ropes, branches, exercise wheels, foraging toys, hiding houses, and hammocks.
- They both have similar sleeping schedules, napping throughout the day and being most active when it’s dark.
Differences between rats and mice
| Comparison | Pet Rats | Pet Mice |
|---|---|---|
| Size | Rats are larger than mice, about 9-11 inches (22-28 cm) in length (including the tail). | Smaller, about 2-4 inches (5-10 cm) in length (including tail). They are more delicate than rats. |
| Diet | Rats are omnivorous. They need a balanced diet of dry food, fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, with some proteins. Because they’re bigger than mice, they eat slightly more. | Mice are also omnivorous, like rats. They also generally eat a dry food supplemented by fruits, veggies, grains and proteins. |
| Cage | Rats need a larger, taller cage with multiple levels. Rats need cages with bars for the ventilation and opportunity to climb. | Mouse cages can be a bit smaller than with rats. (But still bigger than the cages sold in pet stores!) Mice are able to live in fish tanks. They prefer more floor space to vertical height. |
| Lifespan | Average lifespan of 2-3 years. | Average lifespan of 1-2 years. |
| Smell | Rats generally don’t smell very much unless you fall behind on cleaning waste from their cage. | In spite of their size, mice actually have a stronger, muskier smell than rats. |
| Maintenance | Require fresh food and water daily. Their cages should be cleaned 1-2 times a week, with spot cleanings in between. | Require fresh food and water daily. Mice enclosures can usually go a little longer without a deep clean than with rats, depending on how many mice you have. |
| Grooming | Self-grooming, but may benefit from an occasional bath if they get stinky. | Self-grooming. Minimal additional grooming needed. |
| Temperament | Compared to mice, rats tend to enjoy being handled more and show affection towards people. They are very social and curious towards you. | Most mice don’t mind being handled once they are tamed, but may be more skittish and independent compared to rats. |
| Exercise | Require daily out-of-cage exercise and mental stimulation. | Need daily exercise and opportunities for exploration. |
| Vet Care | Vet care can be surprisingly expensive even with rats and mice. Respiratory illness and tumours are extremely common in both. | Like rats, mice often get respiratory infections and tumours. |
| Cohabitation with other animals | Rats need other rats to be happy. Males are able to happily live with other males, and females with other females. Rats should generally be kept away from other species of animals. | Female mice should usually be kept in groups of 3 or more. Male mice on the other hand will fight and kill each other. Male mice can be kept alone, or neutered to live with female mice. |
| Training | Rats can learn tricks, and even be potty trained! Neither rats nor mice need to be trained, though. | Mice are also quite intelligent, and can be taught to do tricks the way rats can. Generally, it’s a bit harder to teach them than rats. |
| Destructiveness | Both rats and mice love to chew and will chew on your things! But rats are capable of chewing on harder surfaces than mice. | A mouse’s teeth isn’t quite as hard as a rat’s, but they will still happily chew anything within their reach. |
How to tell a mouse from a rat
If you had a mouse in one hand and a rat in the other, it’s super easy to tell them apart! It’s a bit harder if you only have one to look at.
- Mice are smaller, lighter and more delicate looking than rats
- A mouse’s ears and eyes are much bigger in proportion to the rest of its head than a rat’s
- A mouse’s tail is much thinner than a rat’s
Are rats or mice better pets for kids?
Personally I find that rats are more friendly and curious towards people, and not quite as delicate as mice. Kids do still need to be gentle with rats, but I think mice are especially too fragile for most little hands.
Rats do need a bit more attention than mice, but only around 1-2 hours each day. Rats also live a touch longer on average, but need a bigger cage.
For more information, see: Are Rats Good Pets for Kids?
Can rats and mice live together?
Surprisingly, rats and mice can’t live together. Although they seem very similar, rats will actually hunt and kill mice, either out of competition for food, or just to eat them. The smell of rats is known to cause stress in mice, so if you keep both in the same house, it’s a good idea to wash your hands in between handling them.
Conclusion
Whether you choose rats or mice will probably come down to how much space you have for their enclosure and how many you want (because a male mouse can be kept alone, while rats always need another rat to keep them company). Rats tend to be a little bit more hands-on and affectionate with their owners than mice. Otherwise, they have quite similar care needs, and are both fairly low maintenance pets when compared to a cat or dog. I hope this article helped you decide which one you want to get!
