Quote Originally Posted by Tralee
So what is the difference? I have never had either!
I find alot of difference in them (I own both).
The first giveaway is size.
One thing, is the feet. Mice have small feet compaired to their body, while rats feet are quite a bit more in porportion to their body.
Another is their tail. Rat tails are much thicker than mice tails, at almost any age.
Though when I determine if its a mouse or rat, I look in the face. Rats seem to have longer, more broad faces, while mice seem to have more shorter, triangular faces. Even when rats are younger.
Eh.. I'm probably confusing you, aren't I?
So.. I'll use pictures as examples!

Here is one of my mice, for example. Notice the super skinny tail (compaired to her body) and the short face? Those are easy ways to identify a mouse.


Here is an early picture of Pocky (one of my rats). She was only around 4-5 weeks old in the picture (excuse her bald head. one of her littermates was into barbering ). Eventhough the picture doesn't show her body well, most people can still tell she's a rat by the shape of her face (longer, more broad) and the fact that she has a thick tail.


Now, isn't it easy to tell what this rodent is?