Roof Rat Vs Norway Rat

Roof rats have black fur with pale underbellies while norway rats have brownish gray coats.

Roof rat vs norway rat. Additionally the roof rat typically has a much longer tail. Norway rats carry many transmittable diseases many of which are extremely serious. Splinter from the ninja turtles would be considered a norway rat since he lives in a sewer if this helps you get the picture. The norway rat is the more common of the two rodent species.

Another difference is that the roof rat is more slender with a longer tail than the norway rat. Another way to differentiate between the two rodents is size. People refer to rats by many names brown rat vs. The most common home invading rodents norway rats and roof rats can be identified in several ways.

Both roof rats and norway rats are considered vermin for good reasons. Tail shorter than. Black rat for example without realizing that many describe the same two species. Norway rats would be considered bottom dwellers and they prefer to live in underground burrows basements tunnels etc.

About seven to ten inches long. In addition to the damage to your property if you have an infestation there are several health risks to you and your family that the rats can create. They re typically found within 100 miles of the gulf coastline or the coastline of the western united states. The roof rat also called gray bellied rat white bellied rat alexandrine rat black rat and ship rat.

Roof rats also have a longer tail a pointy snout and longer ears than norway rats. Norway rats can also weigh over one pound which is twice as heavy as a roof rat. 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. Distinguishing norway rats from roof rats.

Roof rats prefer to live above the ground in trees roofs elevated platforms etc. Roof rats live in trees or vine covered fences landscaped residential and industrial areas parks with ponds or reservoirs riverbanks and streams. Roof rats are not as common as norway rats. More widely distributed than roof rats norway rats burrow into the ground along streams and rivers under buildings and in garbage dumps.

Unlike the roof rat the norway rat the species with the scientific name rattus norvegicus prefers to be underground but can be found in a variety of places including under buildings in dumps and on farms.