Sewer Rat Vs Roof Rat

Norway rats can also weigh over one pound which is twice as heavy as a roof rat.

Sewer rat vs roof rat.

Roof rats are frequent visitors to yards and homes across the country. Other identifying traits include their pointed noses hairless ears and dark fur with light colored underbellies. The norway rat has other names such as brown rat wharf rat and sewer rat and these names should alert you to the fact that norway rats prefer to live in underground tunnels and cellars. 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.

Let s take a closer look at these animals and understand what they are where they are found and what makes them unique. The most common species of rats in the united states are the norway rat and the black rat. While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers. They also have shorter tails.

Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species. Their bodies are seven or eight inches in length though their bald scaly tails add up to ten more inches. People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs. Adult roof rats measure about eight inches in length while norway rats can be up to ten inches long.

Norway rats also called sewer rats brown rats and wharf rats are much larger and darker in color which ranges from a grayish brown to reddish brown. Norway rats rattus norvegicus sometimes called brown or sewer rats are stocky burrowing rodents that are larger than roof rats. Nests can be lined with shredded paper cloth or other fibrous material. The norway rat can weigh nearly twice as much as a roof rat and be many times larger than the common mouse.

Female roof rats have 10 teats norway rats have heavy thick bodies blunt muzzles and small close set ears. Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats. Their burrows are found along building foundations beneath rubbish or woodpiles and in moist areas in and around gardens and fields. Additionally the roof rat typically has a much longer tail.

Their 6 inch to 8 1 2 inch tails are dark on top with lighter undersides. They climb across utility lines and branches to. The most common home invading rodents norway rats and roof rats can be identified in several ways. This type of rat is also called many other names including a brown rat sewer rat common rat street rat or wharf rat.

Also called the brown rat street rat common rat or sewer rat the norway rat is a brown or gray rodent that measures 7 10 inches long with a tail that s slightly shorter than the length of its body. Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. Conspicuously shorter than their combined head and body their tails are carried with comparatively less movement than roof rats. Roof rats hunt for food and shelter above ground.

They can also be found living in burrows near docks warehouses and garbage dumps. Tail shorter than. However there is another type of rat the woodrat that lives in certain parts of the country and can be a problematic pest to humans.