Roof Rat Vs Norway Rat

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

Roof rat vs norway rat. Additionally the roof rat typically has a much longer tail. Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats. Tail shorter than. 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 are excellent climbers while norway rats are excellent swimmers. Livestock feed fresh fruits and vegetables meat sugar flower bulbs corn flour wheat beans bread even injured rats may be eaten. Roof rats can weigh between 8 12 ounces and norway rats can weight between 10 17 ounces. Adult roof rats measure about eight inches in length while norway rats can be up to ten inches long.

Norway rats can cause damage to structures through their gnawing and eating. Norway rats tend to look more well fed and rounder than roof rats with small eyes close set ears and a shorter tail. 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. While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers.

Roof rats prefer seeds fresh vegetables and fruit vegetative parts of native and ornamental plants wheat and corn. Roof rats have black fur with pale underbellies while norway rats have brownish gray coats. 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. People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs.

Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species. The most common home invading rodents norway rats and roof rats can be identified in several ways. Also called the black rat ship rat or old english rat the roof rat measures 6 8 inches long and has a tail that s slightly longer than its body.

In addition norway rats can contaminate food and introduce fleas into a home. Roof rats will be more commonly found in your attic while norway rats on the ground level. These rats are also vectors of diseases including plague jaundice rat bite fever cowpox virus trichinosis and salmonellosis. Color is an easy way to identify roof rats vs.

From head to tail roof rats can be between 13 17 inches long and norway rats can be about 12 17 inches long. Norway rats prefer a diet rich in carbohydrates and proteins. Another way to differentiate between the two rodents is size. 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.