We all know rodents are a nuisance and can cause serious damage to your home in a short amount of time, despite their less-than-intimidating size! Mice and rats are both intelligent creatures, and recent research has proven the assumption that rats are smarter than mice to be false. 

Rats and mice have displayed similar characteristics of problem-solving, memory, social intelligence, and adaptability skills. 

Problem-solving

In laboratory settings, rats and mice have shown exceptional problem-solving abilities, including navigation of complicated maze setups, finding the most efficient routes, and even forming strategies. Rats and mice will use this skill to navigate their way around your home. The walls will act like a maze for them, and their reward is your pantry. Studies have even shown that rats can remember which path it already has taken, as well as note what areas of the maze have light and which do not. 

Memory

Rats and mice are also quick to learn and adopt conditioning behaviors like reward vs punishment, which makes them extra dangerous when they have determined your home is a suitable place for shelter and food. 

Social intelligence

Rats and mice can be very social creatures. Rats and mice are known to have multiple ways of communicating with each other, including throuch different squeaks and chirps and through their urine. Their urine can contain pheromones that can spread important messages and body language. Studies have also shown that relationships are very important to rodents, specifically rats. There have been reports of rats dying from social stress and even from heartbreak after their partner has passed. 

Adaptability

Since rats and mice are quick learners, they can adapt to their environment very quickly. They have learned what they need to survive, and the different potential threats nature may have in store for them. This has taught them that raiding your pantry for free food, your home for free shelter, and your leaky pipes for free water is exactly what they need to survive. They will adapt to finding the unused corners, boxes, shoes, and places in your home and use them to hide. 

 

Rats and mice have been used in scientific experiments for more than one hundred years, due to the similar structure of their brains to human brains. The intelligence of these rodents is what allows them to enter your home easily and sneakily without you knowing. If you find rats or mice in your home call the professionals at Wildlife X Team®! We have years of experience trapping these intelligent rodents.