Coarse brown (occasionally black) fur, with a pale underside.
Tails are 150 - 210 mm.-
Blunt nose, small ears with a tail shorter than the head and body.Lifecycle
Sexually mature at: 8 - 12 weeks.
Gestation period: 21 - 24 days.
Litter size (average): 6 - 11.
Weaning period: 3 - 4 weeks.-
Can live up to 18 months in the wild, but 3 - 4 years domestically.
Habits & Behaviour:
Rats are very adaptable and can be found in a variety of habitats, usually in close conjunction with humans. Burrowing, but sometimes climbing they are the only species to occur in UK sewers.
Norway rats are omnivorous eating fish, vegetables, weeds, earthworms, nuts and fruit, but prefer protein-rich foods, such as cereals.
They will eat around 30g of food a day and drink 60ml.
Rats are typically nocturnal, although they will sometimes forage for food during the day if colonies become too over populated.
They live in loose colonies, made up of aggregations of clans - usually defending their territory from other rats - the biggest rats are dominant over their smaller counterparts.
Brown rats swim well and are sometimes mistaken for water voles. They have well-developed senses of hearing and smell.
Important:
As with mice, look out for holes, droppings, smear marks and unpleasant smells as these are signs a building may be being used as a run.
They are subject to persistent pest control due to the damage they cause and the numerous diseases they spread.
Along with house mice, they are considered to be the most widespread terrestrial mammal.
