Frequently house mice range 10-30 feet from harbourages. Adults weigh up to 20 grams. House mice live about 1 year and reach sexual maturity in 6 weeks. The movement of rats and mice is usually related to food, water, or harbourage. Knowing where they are likely to go is important for controlling them.
Rats use any method to get to food, water or harbourage.
Their excellent sense of balance enables them to run on pipes, narrow ledges, and utility wires. Rats, especially roof rats, will climb anything their claws will hold on to, including wires, pipes, and rough walls. Because rats are excellent swimmers, they often live in sewers and occasionally enter homes through toilets. Rats like to use regular paths or runways along walls or behind debris. To get food in the open, they will run behind things to get as close to the food as possible.