Both rats and mice are members of the superfamily Muroidea, which also includes voles, hamsters, gerbils, and many other small rodents. Florida is home to several species of rats and mice which make themselves a nuisance by gnawing into food supplies, chewing through wiring and insulation, leaving feces and urine dropping, and spreading many diseases. 

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus)

One of the most successful species in terms of survival, brown rats inhabit every part of the planet except for Antarctica. Their coarse fur is brown or dark grey, covering a body up to 10 inches long, not including the tail, which is usually the same length as the rest of the body. They have excellent hearing and sense of smell, and are sensitive to ultrasound, however their vision is very poor. 

Brown rats usually inhabit areas already inhabited by humans, especially near areas where food or garbage can be found. They are true omnivores, consuming anything they can find, but preferring grains and grain-based foods over others. Brown rats live in colonies and in family units within the colony. They have a short life span of usually just one year, but they are capable of reproduction after only 5 weeks from their own birth. Females can breed throughout the year, and produce 7-14 young per liter, with each liter having a gestation period of only 21 days. Because of their constant breeding, large liter size, and short gestation, a handful of brown rats can produce hundreds or sometimes thousands of offspring within one year.

Brown rats carry any number of pathogens and parasites, causing diseases such as cryptosporidosis, rat bite fever, viral hemorrhagic fever, Weil's disease, toxoplasmosis, trichinosis, any others. Brown rats transmit disease through their saliva, feces, urine, and blood. If you have been bitten by a brown rat, please seek immediate medical attention. 

Black rat (Rattus rattus)

The black rat is best known for being blamed for the 14th century outbreak of bubonic plague that killed one third of the population of Europe. At 5-7 inches long, the black rat is smaller than its cousin the brown rat, but just as much of a pest. They are omnivores, eating seeds, leaves, grains, fungi, and smaller animals, as well as anything served at local fine dining restaurant Le Garbage Can. Despite its smaller size, the black rat has a longer lifespan than the brown rat, 2-4 years depending on climate, food availability, and natural threats.

During this time, a female can give birth to up to 7 litters per year, with 6-20 young in each litter. Black rats tend to form colonies, with a preference for higher altitude than the brown rat. For this reason the black rat is also called a roof rat. Their food-gathering usually begins just after sunset. While they have a wide variety of food sources, black rats choose a limited number of primary foods from the broader choices available. They may take small samples of different options in order to best determine the quality of each. This also allows them to receive a variety of nutrition, and to limit the effects of any one food source that turns out to be toxic. 

Black rats are a major disease vector because of their ability to carry multiple serious pathogens and pathogen-inducing parasites at once without quickly succumbing to disease themselves. These include bubonic plague, trichinosis, typhus, leptospirosis, and toxoplasmosis. Because their colonies tend to be higher above ground, and due to their colony behavior, black rats are a major threat to attics and other roofing spaces. Many rats will pack together into a small space, which quickly becomes filled with their urine, feces, saliva, blood, and flease and other parasites, causing disease to proliferate freely. 

Florida woodrat (Neotoma Floridana)

Part of the pack rat genus, because of its tendency to gather small items together, the Florida woodrat (also known as the eastern woodrat) is now more commonly found in the northern parts of Florida than in the rest of the state. Florida woodrats have a soft, grey-brown fur, with a long, thing tail. They grow up to 15 inches long, with tails adding another 6-8 inches in length.

Females breed at a lower rate than other rats, up to 5 litters per year, typically with 2-6 young per litter. The young are born bling and with little or no fur, and take up to 4 weeks to be fully weaned. Woodrats can begin procreating after 5 months of life. Woodrats gather small items of debris together, which they use to build small shelters for themselves made of twigs, cardboard, disposable materials such as toothpicks or cotton swabs, or anything else they find while exploring your kitchen at night. Most woodrats live 1-2 years, but their robust reproductive rate ensures that for each rat that dies, many more are there to take its place. Florida woodrats do not often carry diseases transmittable directly to humans, but they are a nuissance, especially for the parasites they carry.

Florida Mouse (Podomys floridanus)

Also called the gopher mouse, Florida deermouse, and big-eared deermouse, the Florida mouse is the only mammal native to and only found in the state of Florida. Measuring in at up to 7 inches in length, the Florida mouse has brown and light orange fur with white or grey underside and large, round ears. Franklin County, Florida has the largest population of Florida mice, but can be found throughout the panhandle and in smaller numbers as far south as Sarasota County on the west coast, and along a narrow strip of the Atlantic coast as far south as Miami-Dade County. 

The Florida mouse is nocturnal and especially active on cooler nights. It gathers seeds, nuts, leaves, small fruit, and also hunts smaller vertibrates for food. Acorns in particular, especially when left fallen on the ground, tend to attract them. Florida mice often inhabit preexisting burrows made by the gopher tortoise, making multiple chambers, entrances and exists, and smaller passageways. They can also make use of burrows made by the oldfield mouse or they can make their own as needed. Breeding season is from July to December each year, during which time the Florida mouse gestates for three weeks before giving birth to a litter of 2-4 young. The young are weaned at 3-4 weeks, and are fully functional as adult mice thereafter. 

Florida mice carry many external parasites, including any of several species of mites, ticks, fleas, and one species of louse. They are also vulnerable to a 11 internal parasites, which shorten their average lifespan to around one year in the wild. Florida mice in captivity are able to live much longer, up to 7 years. Their many external parasites are the main channel through which Florida mice spread disease, including Lyme disease. 

Call now to speak directly to a Wildlife Specialist about removing rats and mice from your home.