Roof Rat Vs Norway Rat

About seven to ten inches long.

Roof rat vs norway rat.

With an average weight of 4 11 ounces the roof rat is much smaller than the norway rat. People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs. Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species. Roof rats are excellent climbers while norway rats are excellent swimmers.

Apart from the smaller sizes roof rat droppings differ from those of norway rats in that the ends are pointed rather than being blunt. Roof rats can weigh between 8 12 ounces and norway rats can weight between 10 17 ounces. Oregon pest control rats roof rat norway rat. Norway rats prefer a diet rich in carbohydrates and proteins.

These rats are also vectors of diseases including plague jaundice rat bite fever cowpox virus trichinosis and salmonellosis. 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. Norway rats tend to look more well fed and rounder than roof rats with small eyes close set ears and a shorter tail. In addition norway rats can contaminate food and introduce fleas into a home.

Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. From head to tail roof rats can be between 13 17 inches long and norway rats can be about 12 17 inches long. Roof rats will be more commonly found in your attic while norway rats on the ground level. Another way to differentiate between the two rodents is size.

Norway rats can also weigh over one pound which is twice as heavy as a roof rat. Livestock feed fresh fruits and vegetables meat sugar flower bulbs corn flour wheat beans bread even injured rats may be eaten. Norway rats can cause damage to structures through their gnawing and eating. Roof rats have black fur with pale underbellies while norway rats have brownish gray coats.

Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats. Even if no droppings are visible or there has been no actual sighting of rats there can be other indicators that you have an infestation of them. The most common home invading rodents norway rats and roof rats can be identified in several ways. Color is an easy way to identify roof rats vs.

Roof rats prefer seeds fresh vegetables and fruit vegetative parts of native and ornamental plants wheat and corn. Additionally the roof rat typically has a much longer tail. While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers. Tail shorter than.