Mice voles poop. Smell, droppings, traces are the main signs of mice in the house. We welcome your questions and feedback

To a person who has never encountered rodent control, all rodents seem the same. A grayish color, a nasty squeak, short legs and a long tail are sufficient characteristics to determine whether the animal belongs to a certain order. But as soon as it comes to deratization, it turns out that the same bait acts on rodents in completely different ways. It is then that the question arises: “what is the difference between a mouse and a rat?” Below are characteristics, which will help determine the type of rodent.

There are only three types of rodent pests that are not afraid to settle near people. Due to the ability to adapt to the human environment without being domesticated, this type of animal is called synanthropic.

IN residential buildings and in grocery warehouses you can find:

• brown rat;
• gray rat (pasyuka);
• house mouse.

All other types are either afraid of humans and settle in wild conditions, or are considered “pure”, domesticated (white rat, decorative mouse).

How to distinguish mice and rats by external signs?

The simplest distinctive feature is the size: the house mouse grows up to 10 centimeters in length, and gray and brown rats can reach 30 centimeters. It is worth considering that a large adult mouse can easily be confused with a young rat. Therefore, it is imperative to pay attention to general structure body, color and tail.

Table 1. Comparative characteristics animal body structure

Determining the type of rodent by droppings

It is not always possible to carefully examine pests, because they are very nimble and come out in search of food mainly at night, when people are sleeping. But rats and mice always leave behind traces of their vital activity. Litter different types Rodents vary in size, shape, and even location.

If there are brown rats in the house or warehouse, you will find dark brown excrement, the size of a round grain of oats. But black pasyuki leave behind long (up to 12 mm) and thin feces of a very dark color.

Mouse droppings look like small, slightly pointed black granules, up to 6 mm long. You can also identify the pest by the location of the droppings: rats usually defecate in one place, and single mouse excrement will be scattered over the entire floor area.

Identification of a pest by type of spoiled food

Both mice and rats are omnivores, but only in cases of extreme hunger. If rodents get into a residential building or a large food warehouse, they will first rush to destroy what they think is most delicious.

Thus, a house mouse will give preference to grains, nuts and cereals, while pasyuki will destroy fruits, vegetables and foods with high content moisture.

Careful examination of spoiled products will help determine the type of pest. The mouse will constantly look for food in the same place (for example, only one bag/package of cereal may be damaged, although there may be the same one in the next compartment/box). The animal will always try to “clean” the grain rather than eat it completely (as a rat would do). After eating, the mouse will leave a lot of husks. Another difference between a mouse and a rat is that the latter never eat in the same place for several nights in a row.

Therefore, damage from rats is always more significant and noticeable:

• imprints of elongated incisors remain on vegetables or fruits;
• Several bags/products in different boxes may be damaged at once;
• Sometimes you can see teeth marks on wooden furniture, torn food packaging;
• if there was a container with open water in the room, then wool can be found there. This is due to the fact that the rat must drink 30-50 ml. water per day.

The above signs will help not only identify rodent pests that have entered the house, but also select correct method fight them. For example, liquid poison will be effective in fighting rats, but will not attract mice (after all, they can go without water for several days). The location of the mousetrap or poison should also be affected by the fact that mice always feed in one place, but beekeepers do not. In general, it is always much more difficult to fight rats, because they have high intelligence, highly developed reactions and even intuition.

//www.youtube.com/watch?v=QYhzRIA9Dgg

Ivan Pavlovich, the summer season begins with cleaning the house and putting the area in order. What does it mean for summer residents?

If you do not follow generally simple precautions, then summer residents have a fairly high risk of developing some severe infectious diseases, namely: leptospirosis, yersiniosis, pseudotuberculosis, listeriosis, tularemia, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. These are similar heavy acute diseases may occur after contact with rodents. Last year, in 2014, leptospirosis caused the death of two St. Petersburg residents.

There is now an outbreak of tularemia in the Chelyabinsk region, usually by spring they report high level morbidity in Samara region. Is the number of people hospitalized with fevers transmitted by rodents growing in St. Petersburg?

The incidence of tularemia is growing and, fortunately, in our country, it is not as large as in other regions. If in 2012 we treated 4 people with this diagnosis, in 2013 - one, then last year there were already 13 such patients. In St. Petersburg, “imported” fevers from other regions are now more common: Novgorod, Pskov, Vologda regions, sometimes - from Leningradskaya. Last year, 1 person became infected in the Astrakhan region.

Just a few years ago, by the end of winter and into the summer, several departments were overcrowded with patients with yersiniosis and pseudotuberculosis. Why has infection in the city become such a rarity now?

Apparently, it is due to the fact that last years The city regularly carries out deratization - the destruction of rodents, which are the main sources and carriers of infection. When 10-15 years ago it was not carried out in a timely manner, indeed, patients with yersiniosis and pseudotuberculosis filled almost a third of the hospital beds. But the peak of infection occurred at the end of winter - the beginning of spring, and this was earlier than the beginning summer season. City residents mostly did not become infected at their dachas. At that time, there were huge vegetable warehouses in the city, where they practiced long-term storage vegetables And in these vegetable warehouses, mice and rats felt at ease: they gnawed vegetables and left their excrement on them. By the end of winter, the contamination of vegetables with bacteria became critical. When such vegetables got into public catering, they became infected " mouse diseases"just amateurs fresh salads from cabbage and carrots. They were hospitalized with a severe fever, often in serious condition.

- Nowadays, patients with such diagnoses are not admitted at all?

Since the beginning of 2015, two people have been admitted with pseudotuberculosis and one with yersiniosis. Over the entire last year in St. Petersburg, pseudotuberculosis was diagnosed in 4 people and yersiniosis in 38 patients. With listeriosis, a similar spreading disease, we had 4 patients.

- You named 6 fevers that occur among us. Which of them are the most difficult and dangerous for humans?

Leptospirosis is in first place in terms of severity of the disease and possible adverse complications. Yes, infections are happening less frequently now because there are fewer rats in the city. After all, they are the main carriers of infection. Now city dwellers are more likely to suffer from a type of Leptospira - the bacterium Leptospira canicola, transmitted through contact with dog excretions. The disease caused by it is milder and is not considered fatal. However, dogs also get leptospirosis, and their owners should vaccinate their animals against leptospirosis. In other regions unfavorable for leptospirosis (Pskov, Novgorod regions), another type of bacterium affects people - Leptospira icterohemorrhagica, spread by rodents. Infection with this type of bacterium leads to a very serious condition - hemorrhagic syndrome, people die from bleeding. Last year, two of the eleven patients with leptospirosis admitted to the Botkin hospital died.

In second place in terms of severity of the disease is hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS), or hemorrhagic nephrosonephritis. During illness they are affected blood vessels and kidneys. Last year, 56 people suffered from this fever - they were infected in the Leningrad, Pskov, and Novgorod regions.

- How do St. Petersburg residents most often become infected with “mouse diseases”? And can they be avoided?

Now the most common source of infection is one’s own dacha or country house. At the beginning of the summer season, everything in the house should be thoroughly washed with alkaline solutions - furniture, floors, and dishes especially carefully. It is extremely important to do this if mice excrement is found in the house. Before you start cleaning, you should wear gloves - even the smallest injuries on your hands can cause infection.

They say that while working in the garden you can also become infected: the infection, entering the lungs with earthen dust, also causes illness.

Such cases are described in the literature (aerosol route of infection), but in practice I have never seen this. Probably, the concentration of infection in the soil should be extremely high; this is rarely found in nature. Still, the main source of infection is the surfaces of objects - furniture, floors, things, dishes - contaminated with the excrement of infected mice. Upon contact with infected objects, microorganisms enter the bloodstream through wounds on the skin. In summer, you can become infected by swallowing water while swimming in lakes and reservoirs. The mucous membrane of the oral cavity is often injured and has defects. And then the infection can enter the human bloodstream, and an infectious process develops. It is important not to get injured while out of town, to work with gloves, and not to swallow raw water from sources. In general, water must be boiled.

Southern fevers are spread through insects (West Nile fever, Crimean fever). Are our mosquitoes safe?

In our geographic latitude There are no diseases of tropical climates - West Nile fever, Crimean hemorrhagic fever, Dengue fever and others.

In natural foci of the Leningrad, Novgorod, and Pskov regions, leptospirosis, tularemia, listeriosis, hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome, tick-borne infections. The vectors that support the existence of pathogens in natural foci are ticks, mosquitoes and horseflies. These insects bite rodents, which become infected and, in turn, can transmit the infection through their bites to other animals, as well as people. Our mosquitoes are generally harmless, but the climate is gradually changing, and the situation may change too.

- How do the common “mouse diseases” manifest themselves?

They all begin with a high fever - an increase in body temperature to 38-40°C. At the very beginning of the disease, symptoms of intoxication appear - along with fever, weakness, fatigue, headache, aches in muscles and joints, loss of appetite, nausea, and sometimes vomiting. After a few days, clinical symptoms are differentiated according to each specific infectious disease. Thus, with yersiniosis and pseudotuberculosis, the gastrointestinal tract is affected, joint pain occurs, a rash appears, abdominal pain, mushy stool, and a jaundiced coloration of the skin is possible.

A rash, as well as jaundice, also occurs with leptospirosis, but, in addition, with this disease a person experiences severe pain V calf muscles, the kidneys are affected, the amount of daily urine decreases, up to its complete absence. This is already a serious complication.

A decrease in the amount of urine is also characteristic of hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. In general, the symptoms of leptospirosis and HFRS are very similar.

The peculiarity of tularemia is that patients develop a significant enlargement of a lymph node (lymphadenitis) in the inguinal or femoral or axillary areas (or elsewhere) within 2-3 days after the onset of the disease. Pneumonia may develop.

It turns out that the first symptoms of these serious diseases are very similar to the flu. And not everyone goes to the doctor with this disease. So, call " Ambulance“necessary if the temperature has risen after cleaning the dacha?

Indeed, the onset of these serious infectious diseases with high fever can resemble the flu. True, as a rule, there is no cough or runny nose. However, if a person has been to forests and summer cottages, the temperature rises to 39-40°C or higher and it does not decrease for two or more days, you should definitely consult a doctor. It's impossible to figure it out on your own. The sooner the diagnosis is known and treatment is prescribed, the greater the chance that the disease will not be severe. And since all fevers - diseases transmitted through rodents - have many similar symptoms, a comprehensive laboratory examination is necessary, which can be competently prescribed by an infectious disease specialist. And the most detailed studies can be performed only at the Clinical Infectious Diseases Hospital named after. S.P. Botkin, since there is a full range of diagnostic equipment, and high-tech methods for identifying various pathogens of infectious diseases are used.

Irina Dontsova

What to do to avoid becoming a victim of “mouse” diseases?

There are a few important recommendations, mandatory for implementation. Opening the season in country houses and hunting lodges, gatehouses and any other premises that you use only in warm time year, be sure to do it wet cleaning using disinfectants;

Use protective clothing (robes, boots, mittens, masks) for cleaning and clear the area summer cottage from garbage, dead wood, dead wood - burn or take to authorized landfills;

In the same protective clothing clean out old hay or straw, basements, attics, sheds, garages;

Do not catch or handle rodents or their carcasses;

Make the premises impenetrable to rodents: close cracks and openings in residential and outbuildings, country houses If your home has vents or other openings that are low to the ground, close them metal mesh, into which “the mouse will not slip”;

When working with soil, use gloves, and then be sure to wash your hands, never forget to wash your hands before every meal;

Never drink raw water;

Do not leave food (cereals, etc.) in places accessible to rodents for the winter; store food in tightly sealed containers inaccessible to rodents (in closed cabinets), throw away spoiled food;

Avoid the spontaneous formation of spontaneous landfills near gardening cooperatives, residential and outbuildings. They become a breeding ground for rodents.

Doctor Peter

Gray creatures that seem harmless at first glance bring discomfort into our smooth lives. Mice and rats are dangerous. They not only spoil things and food, but are also the first carriers of diseases. Thanks to them, anyone can get a disease that will require long-term treatment and can be life-threatening. What infections are transmitted from mice to humans, what is their harm to health, and what is the help? Read about it right now.

Any of the diseases can be acquired from wild or domestic mice through a bite of a rodent, after contact with animal waste, through an open wound, through the consumption of contaminated urine and mouse droppings food or water, indirectly - from dogs or cats, through fleas or ticks (which also live on rodents), through the respiratory system (being where rodent waste is present). Let's take a closer look at the diseases that mice carry.

Bubonic plague

This disease is carried mainly by rats. This infection can be contracted from fleas living on animals. If people are bitten by infected insects or simply inhale a few bacteria, death can occur within a couple of days. Bubonic plague can be treated with powerful antibiotics.

Salmonella

Among other diseases, this is not so common. You can become infected with it by consuming food in your home contaminated with mouse excrement or other waste. Harm from getting such a weight disease. It can provoke gastroenteritis, which in severe form leads to the death of the victim. Salmonella is transmitted from rodents and pets.

Rat bite fever, or sodocosis

As a result of such an infection, fungal spores enter the human body. The reaction to such an external invasion is inflammation of the skin, incessant vomiting, and severe muscle pain.

Leptospirosis

Mice that appear in the house can infect people with other diseases that are very dangerous. Leptospirosis is caused by Leptospira bacteria. Some people may not have pronounced symptoms, while for others the disease may be very difficult to resolve. Leptospirosis can also infect pets. In addition to rodents, it is spread by dogs, pigs, raccoons, large cattle. Bacteria persist in soil and water.

It is possible to get such an infection through a bite. Characteristic features Experts consider chills, headache, vomiting, cough, muscle pain. If people in poor health or old age are infected, they may die. Usually the doctor prescribes antibiotic treatment in this case.

Tapeworms of the family Hymenolepis

Mice and rats in the house are dangerous because they can give you worm eggs. They are found in the body of rodents, and reach people through food and water that contain rat or mouse droppings. Worms emerge from eggs inside the human body, which actively reproduce and can cause enormous harm to health.

The causative agent of lymphocytic Venezuelan encephalomyelitis

The causative agent of such an infection often lurks in the body of house mice. They can become carriers if they have recently been near wild animals in a pet store or home. Greatest harm This most unpleasant of diseases can affect pregnant women. Because it causes mental retardation and disturbances in fetal development.

Hantavirus infection

What other diseases should people be wary of? This infection with a difficult to pronounce name consists of several subspecies - Puumala, Dubrova, Hantaan, Seoul. Rodent feces cause harm; inhaling the smell of rodents, people can become infected with hantavirus infection. It responds to climate conditions depending on the region. Since the reproduction of rodents contributes to its spread. The virus thrives in areas characterized by high temperatures in summer and autumn periods of the year.

Tularemia

Some more harm to the human body may cause an infection called tularemia. It comes not only from rodents, but also from rabbits and some other types of animals. The route of spread is the infected food products and drinking water.

Video “What are the dangers of rodents”

This video talks about the most common diseases carried by rats and mice.

Prevention

To avoid problems and the need to treat infections, it is better not to neglect prevention. It consists of carrying out measures to exterminate rodents, disinfect premises, and comply with sanitary and hygienic standards. It is also required to periodically inspect granaries and warehouses where food supplies are stored to detect and eliminate pests as soon as possible.

Do not neglect the basic rules - wash your hands before eating and after returning from the street, pour boiling water over vegetables and fruits purchased at the market, do not eat questionable specimens and do not drink suspicious water. Check your pet mice for infections before purchasing and examine your pets.

Which doctor should I contact?

If, after contact with waste products of pests or their bites, you suspect that an infection has entered the body, immediately consult an infectious disease doctor.

Signs such as headache, general weakness, aching bones and muscles, and chills should alert you. Often, in addition to an infectious disease specialist, the victim is referred to a surgeon. He will also examine the wound and treat it with special means.

The first independent aid for a bite before contacting a specialist is to wash it with running water for 10 - 15 minutes with laundry soap. For primary processing Any will do alcohol-containing preparation - cologne, vodka, medical alcohol.

Video “Diseases transmitted from rats and mice”

From this video you will learn what “close contact” with rodents can result in.

Not every person is able to determine that a room is infested with mice or rats. And given the secretive lifestyle of nimble rodents, it is not always possible to determine their presence in the house by looking at a mouse. After all, they go out in search of food exclusively at night. You can make sure that rats live in the house by looking at torn bags and damaged food. However, there is another simple and most striking sign indicating the presence of pests in the house - this rat droppings.

What is the difference between rat feces and mouse feces?

Rat feces differ from the excrement of other rodents not only in size and shape, but also in location. Thus, the presence of brown animals is indicated by spindle-shaped droppings that lie in small piles. It has a grayish tint and fairly large particles. Very thin, about 10 mm long and almost black feces are left by black pests. The largest are the excrements of the pasyuk (gray rat), they reach a length of up to 20 mm. Below you can see what rat droppings look like in the photo.

You can use their excrement. Mouse feces are much smaller. They look like slightly pointed black granules, the length of which does not exceed 5-6 mm.

On a note!

The location of feces also varies: rat feces are located in one place, individual mouse feces can be found everywhere.

The photos below clearly show what rat droppings and isolated mouse excrement look like.

What does rodent droppings look like?

Fresh, slightly shiny and moist feces of gnawing animals have a fairly soft consistency. Its color varies depending on the food consumed by the pest, but in most cases it is dark in color. During the hot season, it quickly dries out and hardens. Over time, the stool becomes duller, taking on a gray tint. They can easily crumble under mechanical stress.

Based on the volume of detected animal feces, you can approximately determine the number of pests living in the house. Fresh rat or mouse excrement indicates the presence of even one gnawing animal in the room. If detected discharge different sizes, then this confirms the presence of a whole population of dangerous animals of various ages that are actively reproducing and growing. Large deposits of fecal matter are usually found near food supplies or along animal routes.

On a note!

In the presence of large quantity Long-tailed mammals exhibit an ammonia odor. It is caused not only by rat feces and urine, but also by the secretions of special glands. In this way, animals try to mark territories.

Such symptoms of the presence of rodents are very often observed in basement or attic-type rooms. Having discovered them, it is necessary to urgently take action or go to. Mammals are capable of reproducing very quickly, which reduces the effectiveness of independent attempts to get rid of them. Therefore, most effective way Pest control in this case is the complete treatment of the premises by special professional pest control services.

You can spot a mouse on almost any grain warehouse, as well as in a private house. The presence of natural enemies in nature and human habitation forces the mouse to constantly hide. Another instinct is the search for food. It is he who brings mice into human buildings.

To settle near humans, mice sometimes have to travel long distances. Most often, migration occurs in the fall. Mice are able to travel distances of up to 5 km in search of best place for life. Most often, mice migrate from nearby fields. In a city, mice may migrate from one home to another or from room to room in a business.

Mice prefer to live in the ground and can live on your personal plot until autumn, and then, as the temperature drops, quickly move into your home.

Being miniature creatures, mice almost always find their way inside the house. One of effective means protection in this case is the arrangement of a deep foundation with reliable system ventilation, careful concreting of all possible holes and joints, covering technological openings with a thick metal mesh.

Mice can also enter through cracks in engineering networks, especially in sewerage and water supply. Favorite place penetration is opened door. Be vigilant and do not leave the door open for long to avoid unwanted visits.

Determining that you have mice in your house is very simple: