Rats are the most dominant species of rodents on earth, belonging to the Rattus genus of the family Muridae. There are several species of rats in the world. Most rodents are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous. Generally speaking, there are two basic types of rats, specifically roof rats (black) & Norway rats (brown). Both are thought to have originated in Asia & are now widely spread throughout the planet.
Roof Rats
The black rats are sometimes called roof rats & ship rats, scientifically named Rattus Rattus. These rats are commonly black in color, slender, 16-21 cm long & weigh about 80-300 grams. Their nose & muzzle are pointed, and their tail is longer than the head & body. As the name suggest, roof rats are climbers. Their paws enable them to climb and build nests in higher parts of dwellings, attics, rafters and crossbeams of buildings.
Barn Rat
The Norway rat is sometimes known as the house rat, brown rat, gray rat, barn rat or wharf rat. It is the larger of the 2 mentioned here, and one of the best-known species. Their scientific name is Rattus norvegicus. Their other name refers to their grayish-brown body, with a lighter colored stomach. A fully-grown brown rat is 18 to 26 cm long and weighs between 400 & 600 gm. Their nose and muzzle are blunt, and they have a tail shorter than its body. They nest in deep burrows and prefer moist conditions.
These rats breed when they are three to four months of age. They breed up to 13 times each year & produce 1 to 22 in a litter. Black rats & brown rats eat about the same things. Their diet typically includes vegetables, fruits, cereals, meats, seeds, nuts, grains and invertebrates. They consume about a third of their weight in food everyday.
They carry lethal diseases, damage structures & contaminate food. Some of the diseases potentially fatal to man that spread through rats are salmonella food poisoning, toxoplasmosis, Weil's disease and plague.
Roof Rats
The black rats are sometimes called roof rats & ship rats, scientifically named Rattus Rattus. These rats are commonly black in color, slender, 16-21 cm long & weigh about 80-300 grams. Their nose & muzzle are pointed, and their tail is longer than the head & body. As the name suggest, roof rats are climbers. Their paws enable them to climb and build nests in higher parts of dwellings, attics, rafters and crossbeams of buildings.
Barn Rat
The Norway rat is sometimes known as the house rat, brown rat, gray rat, barn rat or wharf rat. It is the larger of the 2 mentioned here, and one of the best-known species. Their scientific name is Rattus norvegicus. Their other name refers to their grayish-brown body, with a lighter colored stomach. A fully-grown brown rat is 18 to 26 cm long and weighs between 400 & 600 gm. Their nose and muzzle are blunt, and they have a tail shorter than its body. They nest in deep burrows and prefer moist conditions.
These rats breed when they are three to four months of age. They breed up to 13 times each year & produce 1 to 22 in a litter. Black rats & brown rats eat about the same things. Their diet typically includes vegetables, fruits, cereals, meats, seeds, nuts, grains and invertebrates. They consume about a third of their weight in food everyday.
They carry lethal diseases, damage structures & contaminate food. Some of the diseases potentially fatal to man that spread through rats are salmonella food poisoning, toxoplasmosis, Weil's disease and plague.
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