Title: Controlling rats and mice
Identifier: controllingratsm410stor (find matches)
Year: 1952 (1950s)
Authors: Storer, Tracy I. (Tracy Irwin), 1889-1973
Subjects: Mice; Rats
Publisher: (Berkeley, Calif. ) : College of Agriculture, University of California
Contributing Library: University of California, Davis Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: University of California, Davis Libraries

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teeth (tusks). Their check or grinding teeth have small projections used to chew food finely before swallowing it. The toes end in sharp claws that help in climbing and digging. When cornered, a rat uses its incisor teeth and claws, and may inflict severe injuries. The long tail serves as a counter-balance to the body in running, jumping, and climbing. Most rodents have scent glands which leave odors on their droppings, trails, and nests. In rats and mice these glands are just inside the vent or anal opening, be- low the base of the tail. The odor from house rats is mild to the human nose, but that from the house mouse is strong and unpleasant—the "mousy odor." Rats and mice have rather poor vision, but the senses of smell, taste, hearing, and touch are keenly developed. Their fre- quent sniffing movements tell them much about their surroundings through odors received. Their choice in foods is un- doubtedly based upon taste preferences. They are frightened by unusual sounds, which may cause them either to stop abruptly or to hurry to safety. They be- come used to ordinary noises, however, and are often active where people, do- mestic animals, or machines are close by. The long "whiskers," or vibrissae, on the nose, and other long hairs above the eyes, serve the sense of touch. There are sensory nerves about the base of each hair. It is the habit of a house rat or mouse to run close beside a wall, against which these sensory hairs touch to give the animal information about its sur- roundings. In the laboratory, rats with the vibrissae removed have been found less skillful in running and finding their way. Three kinds of rats and one kind of mouse, all "aliens" from the Old World, are now abundant and of great economic importance in California and many other parts of the United States. They are the Norway rat, the roof rat, the black rat, and the house mouse. The alien rats may be distinguished from the native woodrat (p. 35) by their scaly tails and usually by their coarser hair. Norway Rat. The largest of the alien rats, and the one which does most dam- age, is the Norway rat (Rattus norveg- icus), also known as brown rat, house rat, wharf rat, and sewer rat (fig. 1). Full-grown adults are about 16 inches
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Fig. 2. The roof rat. Important characteristics are the slender snout, large naked ears, and long slender tail which usually exceeds the combined length of head and body. The total length is up to 15 inches. The black rat is identical in form except for its black coat of hair. (5)

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