The Many Types Of Rats
Rats are rodents that belong to the Rattus genus of the family Muridae. These are the most dominant species on earth. Plenty of rat species exist in the world. Most rodents feed on plants, but some feed on animals as well. Generally speaking, there are two basic types of rats. They are black or roof rats & Norway or brown rats. Both are believed to have originated in Asia & are now widely distributed all over the planet.
Ship Rats
Roof rats (known as Rattus Rattus) are also called black rats and ship rats. These rats are commonly black in color, slender, 16-21 cm long & weigh about 80-300 grams. Their tail is longer than the head & body & their nose & muzzle are pointed. As the name suggest, roof rats are climbers. Their paws enable them to climb & make nestles 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 two mentioned here, and one of the best-known species. Rattus norvegicus is their scientific name. They are mostly grayish-brown, with a lighter colored stomach. A fully-grown brown rat is 18 to 26 cm long and weighs between 400 and 600 grams. Their nose and muzzle are blunt, and they have a tail shorter than its body. They nest in deep burrows and prefer moist conditions.
At around three to four months of age, these rats start to breed. They breed 1 to 13 times each year & produce 1 to 22 in a litter. Brown rats and black rats eat about the same things. Their diet typically includes grains, veggies, fruits, cereals, meats, seeds, nuts & invertebrates. They consume about one-third of their weight in food everyday.
They contaminate food, carry fatal diseases & damage structures. Some of the diseases potentially fatal to man that spread through rats are toxoplasmosis, Weil’s disease, plague & salmonella food poisoning.
Find out more about Pest Control services and some of the most effective tips on eradicating Mosquitoes from your home. Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service
Filed under: Cockroaches