Rattus norvegicus
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The Norway Rat is a large
rodent, growing up to 18 inches long, including the tail.
Males are larger than females. The rat's color is
grayish-brown with a pale gray belly. Ears and tail are
bald. Norway Rats are found
anywhere there are people. This rat, originally from Asia,
has followed people around the world, and it is now found
throughout the United States. Common places Norway Rats live
are ditches, basements, sewers, old buildings, barns, dumps,
woods, fields, ponds, and marshes. Norway Rats are almost
always found near water. They are very good swimmers and
climbers. Copyright 2002,
www.arttoday.com
Copyright, Dr. Antonio J. Ferreira, California Academy of Science
Boise State
University Norway Rats always live
in large groups in burrows. Rat burrows are actually a large
network of passageways, runways, and chambers. A rat pack hunts
together, breeds together, and defends the burrow together.
Rats breed often and each
female may have seven litters in a year. Each litter has 2
to 14 young. A rat is full grown in about four weeks. Rat
nests are made of leaves, twigs, and trash. Norway Rats only live two
or three years. Norway Rats will eat just
about anything. Natural foods include seeds, grains, fruits,
stems, leaves, nectar, flowers, roots, bark, wood, sap,
insects, spiders, crayfish, earthworms, frogs, salamanders,
fish, lizards, birds, eggs, and fungus. Rats are very good at
catching fish with their paws. They will also eat carrion
(dead animals). The main food of rats,
though, is supplied by people. Norway Rats will eat anything
that is edible from human garbage. They often build their
burrows where they know there is a reliable human trash
source nearby. This is why places with lots of people,
especially cities, also have lots of rats. Like most rodents, these
rats cache their food. This means they store it in piles in
some of the chambers in their burrows. Norway Rats will swim,
climb, and even crawl across telephone wires to get to food.
Rats use their very strong sense of smell to find food. They
do most of their hunting at night. E. J. Taylor, ASM Slide
Laboratory Rats have many predators,
including snakes, fox, skunks, weasels, owls, hawks, cats,
and dogs. These predators are very important since they
control rat populations. Norway Rats disperse
seeds when they eat them and poop them out in new places.
This helps plants spread. Rats also help plants
grow by aerating soil. This means they put oxygen into the
soil when they dig. This makes plants healthier in those
areas. Rats communicate with one
another using squeaks, whistles, and chirps.
Copyright, Ray Hamblett 2003-2004