Though there are many types of rats found across the mid atlantic states two that cause issues for residents and business owners are roof rats and norway rats.
Pictures of roof rats and norway rats.
And also because the norway rat can quickly adapt to the changes in the temperature compared to the roof rats.
Differences between roof rats and norway rats.
Roof rats possessing a long tail.
While we have focused on roof rats and norway rats as being vermin and unwelcome as unlikely as it may seem these rats do have a positive trait.
Adults generally live up to one year in the wild.
Due to their genes being 90 equivalent to that of humans medical research on rats has allowed for many significant strides in the study of human diseases.
On the basis of the tail size.
Also called the black rat ship rat or old english rat the roof rat measures 6 8 inches long and has a tail that s slightly longer than its body.
They re typically found within 100 miles of the gulf coastline or the coastline of the western united states.
The roof rat feces are spindle shaped and reach about 1 2 inch in size the norway rat s droppings have a capsule shape.
Norway rats are large bulky rodents nearly synonymous with human habitation.
The diet of the roof rats is entirely different from their brethren species.
Roof rat nests.
Norway rats reach sexual maturity in 2 to 5 months and can breed any month of the year.
Also known as brown rats or sewer rats these pests can grow to 15 inches in length from nose to tail.
Roof rats are not as common as norway rats.
While these pests may look the same to the untrained eye they do differ in appearance size and behavior.
Norway rats tend to look more well fed and rounder than roof rats with small eyes close set ears and a shorter tail.
Females can have three to 12 litters per year and litters may number from 4 to 22.
Norway rats will leave a mark as they drag their tails between their feet.
The tail markings and hind feet markings of the norway rat and of the roof rat are hard to differentiate between each other.
The norway rat droppings are 1 4 to 1 2 inch in length.
While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers.
Because norway rats tend to be larger their droppings are also larger about 3 4 inch long whereas roof rat droppings are usually about half an inch.
Roof rats prefer to build their nests and live in dense cover and shadows of thick shrubbery vine covered trees power lines and.
Roof rats being the smaller sized ones with a considerably slender body.
The droppings are capsule shaped and have blunt ends.
Roof rats will also make tunnels through insulation and will leave chew marks wood pipes.
Facts about rats roof rat or black rat.
