Norway Rats Vs Roof Rats

Splinter from the ninja turtles would be considered a norway rat since he lives in a sewer if this helps you get the picture.

Norway rats vs roof rats.

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. With an average weight of about 11 ounces norway rats have acute hearing and a great sense of smell. The main difference between roof rats and norway rats is their behavior. Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species.

While roof rats excel scaling your roof norway rats are powerful swimmers. Norway rats tend to look more well fed and rounder than roof rats with small eyes close set ears and a shorter tail. What is the difference between a roof rat a norway rat. Norway rats would be considered bottom dwellers and they prefer to live in underground burrows basements tunnels etc.

Norway rats can also weigh over one pound which is twice as heavy as a roof rat. They differ in color as the norway rat is brown or reddish and the roof rat is black. Roof rats hunt for food and shelter. Tail shorter than.

Roof rats prefer to live above the ground in trees roofs elevated platforms etc. These rats are also vectors of diseases including plague jaundice rat bite fever cowpox virus trichinosis and salmonellosis. Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats. People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs.

Size and physical characteristics. Slender and graceful looking roof rats have 7 1 2 inch to 10 inch long tails. Norway rats can cause damage to structures through their gnawing and eating. Color is an easy way to identify roof rats vs.

The norway rat can weigh nearly twice as much as a roof rat and be many times larger than the common mouse. Their fur tends to be colored brown with some black scattered throughout and to the touch their fur is coarser than that of a roof rat. 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. Roof rats have black fur with pale.

Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. About seven to ten inches long. Differences between roof rats and norway rats appearance size. Norway rats close relatives of the roof rats and also known as old world rats or brown rats are less common than roof rats but still a threat.

Norway rats have a long thick and rounded body shorter blunt nose and their tail is shorter than the length of their body. In addition norway rats can contaminate food and introduce fleas into a home.