When it comes to rodents, everyone seems to get wigged out by rats. Probably it's from people's genetic memories of the plague, I don't know. But the ones we really need to watch out for are the squirrels.
My wife related to me a story about how her daughter as a young child accidentally stepped on a squirrel while out camping. It didn't die, but did get incredibly angry. It stalked my stepdaughter for the rest of the weekend, occasionally charging at her and chasing her across the campsite, one on one.
Forget rats. Remember squirrels. They hold grudges.