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PEST EVIDENCE GUIDE / PEST FAMILY

Signs of mice and rats

Rodents can leave droppings in sheltered travel and feeding areas. Note the location and other clues before cleanup, and follow CDC guidance to avoid stirring contaminated material into the air.

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Scattered dark droppings along the edge of a floor, photographed by the New York State IPM Program
From the guide: Mouse droppings: signs and safe next stepsPhoto: Matt Frye / NY State IPM Program at Cornell University, via Wikimedia Commons. Resized by Wikimedia to 1280 pixels; no further changes. The source identifies house mouse droppings. No measurement scale is shown. · CC BY 2.0
OBSERVE THE SIGNCOMPARE THE POSSIBILITIESDOCUMENT WHAT CHANGES

THE RELEVANT EVIDENCE

Guides in this collection

02 / GUIDES
DROPPINGS

Mouse droppings: signs and safe next steps

Learn where mouse droppings may appear, how they compare with rat droppings, and why safe cleanup matters.

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Rat droppings: compare signs safely

Document suspected rat droppings, compare with mouse signs, and follow CDC cleanup guidance.

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FROM THE JOURNAL

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01Field methodsA household pest observation checklist you can reuseSeparate direct sightings from assumptions and build a concise record for an inspector or extension office.02Room checklistsPossible mouse droppings in a garage: pause before moving boxesPlan a safe evidence handoff when rodent-like pellets appear among stored items.03Wildlife observationsUnknown droppings in an attic: prepare a wildlife assessmentOrganize the location and access questions without entering or disturbing an uncertain accumulation.