Scientifically, rats, being creatures that belong to the family Muridae, are classified as rodents belonging to the Rattus genus. In the animal world, rats are hailed as the most supreme class of rodents all across the world. It is widely considered that the 2 most well known rat species, the brown rats and the black rats, trace their original beginnings In Asia. The two rat classes are now present throughout the entire planet.

Black Rats

The black rats are sometimes called roof rats & ship rats, scientifically named Rattus Rattus. They are usually black, have a slender built, 16-21 cm long and weigh about 80-300 gram. Their tail is longer than the head and body and their nose & muzzle are pointed. They are called roof rats because they are climbers. Their paws are built to climb and build nestles in upper parts of homes, rafters, attics and crossbeams of buildings.

Norway Rat

The brown rat, which is also known as the Norway rat, house rat, gray rat, barn rat, and wharf rat, is one of the best-known & is the larger of the two. Rattus norvegicus is their scientific name. 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 and 600 gm. Their tail is shorter than its body and their nose & muzzle are blunt. They nest in deep burrows and prefer moist conditions.

At around three to four months of age, these rats start to breed. They breed up to 13 times a year & produce 1 to 22 in each litter. Black rats & brown rats eat about the same things. Their diet typically consists of vegetables, fruits, cereals, meats, seeds, nuts, grains and invertebrates. They consume about one-third of their weight in food every 24 hours.

Rats are recognized to harbor diseases and bacteria that may put lives in danger, and rats are also recognized to cause damage to property. Some of the illnesses potentially deadly to man that spread through rats are Weil’s disease, plague, salmonella food poisoning & toxoplasmosis.

Learn more about the most effective methods of eradicating ants and other pests from your homes or offices.

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 11th, 2010 at 3:23 am and is filed under Home Improvement.