Roof Rat Vs Norway Rat

People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs.

Roof rat vs norway rat.

While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers. 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. Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats.

Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species. With an average weight of 4 11 ounces the roof rat is much smaller than the norway rat. 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 can also weigh over one pound which is twice as heavy as a roof rat.

Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. 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 can cause damage to structures through their gnawing and eating. These rats are also vectors of diseases including plague jaundice rat bite fever cowpox virus trichinosis and salmonellosis.

Roof rats can weigh between 8 12 ounces and norway rats can weight between 10 17 ounces. 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 prefer a diet rich in carbohydrates and proteins. Additionally the roof rat typically has a much longer 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. Color is an easy way to identify roof rats vs. Tail shorter than. Roof rats have black fur with pale underbellies while norway rats have brownish gray coats.

Oregon pest control rats roof rat norway rat. Roof rats prefer seeds fresh vegetables and fruit vegetative parts of native and ornamental plants wheat and corn. 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. Roof rats are excellent climbers while norway rats are excellent swimmers.

About seven to ten inches long. Livestock feed fresh fruits and vegetables meat sugar flower bulbs corn flour wheat beans bread even injured rats may be eaten. The most common home invading rodents norway rats and roof rats can be identified in several ways. Another way to differentiate between the two rodents is size.