All About Rats

Norway Rats

Norway rats are unique in such a way that their fur could range from brown to grey. Their fur is also somewhat shaggy as opposed to normal straight-haired rats. Their ears and tails are also uniquely covered in scales and their tails are significantly shorter than their head and body. They are also relatively sociable, and what this means is that this breed of rat tends to build their shelters together with other rats of their kind, or they will build shelters close to one another.

This also means that if you find a Norway rat burrow, it is very likely that another one isn’t too far away. These rats tend to live in outdoor areas such as fields, farmlands, and other outdoor structures. They also like burrowing in the soil near rivers, garbage, woodpiles, and under concrete slabs. They also have the ability to fit through holes the size of a quarter, making it easy for them to invade a home. 

All About Rat

Interestingly, Norway rats are known to be somewhat nocturnal, meaning they are very active at night but not so much during the day. These guys tend to stay hidden during the day unless forced to come out of hiding, so if you spot one, especially in broad daylight, then it’s time to think about the possibility of a rat infestation in your home. 

It is very easy for them to adapt to where they live, making it rather hard to drive them out. The primary diet of these rats are dead animals, fruits, grains, meats, and nuts, but they tend to eat almost anything they can find.

Black Rats

Black rats look very similar to brown rats, but they are slimmer and have larger ears and longer tails. Contrary to their name, they come in more colours than black, and you can find ones that are grey, brown, or black with a pale grey underside. Their tails (which is their primary telltale) are longer than their entire body, so it’s really easy to tell that they are Black rats. They also have a pair of chisel-shaped incisors with a yellow tint.

This breed tends to eat food such as seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi, and a number of invertebrates and vertebrates. They aren’t picky eaters, and they will eat whatever they can get. This is why there have been studies showing these rats eating food for cows, pigs, chickens, cats, and dogs. They do, however, have a food preference which is fruits and nuts. They also consume a lot of water which makes them a threat to many natural habitats. 

All About Rat

Due to the fact that they love feasting on crops, these rats have also become an enemy to many farmers. Black rats are very flexible when it comes to searching for their food. They often search for food in proximity to their opposite sex, and they also have a tendency to start searching after the sun has set. If it finds food that can’t be consumed immediately it will search for a place to hoard the food and consume it at a later time.

Black rats tend to live in urban areas, they like to live in roofs, wall cavities, trees, or make burrows around farms. These guys also love being near humans. In places where both Norway rats and Black rats reside, the Norway rats tend to be more aggressive and force the Black rats to live in the upper portions of buildings or move to trees. If there are no Norway rats present, they will burrow beneath buildings. Black rats are also known for their somewhat destructive behaviour, they are known to destroy tree bark and contaminate food sources. They also build nests for their young out of sticks and leaves. Due to their gift at being agile climbers, they tend to make their nests on the upper floors of buildings. One interesting fact is that Black rats can also live inside ships.

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