Bat droppings and mouse droppings are very similar. This can be especially confusing because both animals like to live in attics. Finding droppings in your attic could point to either species. Luckily, there are some differences between the two that can help you identify which animal is the culprit. If you’re worried about a mouse of bat infestation in your home, feel free to give Mouse Control Toronto a call so we can help you out.
It’s true – mice will happily live in attics. Like bats, mice are attracted to the warmth and shelter that attics have to offer. Both species sneak into people’s attics by squeezing through whatever gaps they find. Mice get into the attic by climbing up the walls and gutters on the outside of the home or by jumping down onto the roof from overhanging tree branches. They may also get there from somewhere else inside the house. Bats commonly enter attics through holes in the soffits or edges of the roof. Once in the house, it’s uncommon to find bats anywhere other than the attic. Mice, however, can be found in any room in the house.
Both bat and mouse droppings are very small and either dark brown or black in colour. At first glance, they may look like dark grains of rice. If you can look more closely, bat droppings are shinier than mouse droppings. This is because bats feed on insects; their wings and cuticle fragments show up in the bats’ feces. These crumble easily into powder, even when still fresh. Another indicator of bat droppings is that they show up in piles while mice scatter their droppings wherever they go. Mouse droppings are also slimmer and become hard with time.
Finding other signs of an infestation can also help you differentiate between the two species. Bats make very high pitch squeaking and chattering sounds, and you may hear their wings flap in the walls of the attic. As bats are flying creatures, you may also be able to find a gap near the roof that is surrounded by grease marks. This is because bats have oily fur and rub grease around their entrance to the attic. Because mice are crawling animals, they tend to leave grease marks along the bottoms of the walls. As they have poor vision, they like to follow the same trails over and over, leaving smears of grease on the wall and footsteps on the ground. Mice also like to chew on things, so keep an eye out of objects with chew marks.
Still not sure which is which? A technician from Mouse Control would be glad to help you identify which pest is giving you trouble. Our crew members are experienced in mouse and bat removal. Mouse Control offers comprehensive solutions that fully eliminate pests from your home and prevent them from coming back. We also offer quality disinfection services and attic insulation, so we can repair whatever damage pests have done to your home. Ask us today how Mouse Control can help.
