| Characteristics |
Black
Rat |
Norway
Rat |
House
Mouse |
 |
| Species
|
Rattus
rattus |
Rattus
norvegicus |
Mus
domesticus |
| Common Names |
Roof
rat-ship rat-gray bellied rat-white bellied rat-Alexandrine rat |
Wharf
rat-house rat-brown rat-sewer rat-gray rat |
N
/ A |
| Adult
Size |
| Weight |
150-250
grams (5-9 oz.) |
200-500
grams (7-18 oz.) |
12-30
grams (0.4-1 oz.) |
| Head &
Body |
16-200
cm (6-8 in.) |
18-25
cm (7-9.5 in.) |
6-9
cm (2-3.5 in.) |
| Tail |
19-25
cm (7-10 in.) |
15-21
cm (6-8 in.) |
7-10
cm (3-4 in.) |
| Ears |
Large,
nearly naked; can be pulled over eyes |
Small,
covered with short hairs; do not reach eyes |
Large,
some hair |
| Snout |
Pointed |
Blunt |
Pointed |
| Tail |
Uniformly
dark |
Dark
above, pale beneath |
Uniformly
dark |
| Fur |
Agouti
to gray to black; venter white, gray or black, smooth |
Brown
with scattered black (agouti); venter gray to yellow/white; shaggy |
Light
brown, light gray, smooth |
| Droppings |
Spindle
shaped 1 cm (0.5 in.) |
Capsule
shaped 2 cm (3/4-1 in.) |
Rod
shaped 3-6 mm (0.5 in.) |
| Senses |
| Sight |
Poor,
color blind |
Poor,
color blind |
Poor,
color blind |
| Smell-Taste-Touch-Hearing |
Excellent |
Excellent |
Excellent |
| Food-Diet |
Omnivorous;especially
fruits, nuts, grains, vegetables (15-30 grams/day) |
Omnivorous;
preference for meats (22-30 grams / day) |
Omnivorous;
prefers cereal grains (3 grams / day) |
| Climbing |
Very
agile - active climber |
Readily
climbs, limited agility |
Good
climber |
| Nests |
Walls,
attics, vines, trees |
Usually
burrows |
Within
structures, stored food, burrows |
| Swimming |
Can
swim |
Excellent
swimmer |
Can
swim |
| Home range
(radius) |
30-50
meters (98-164 ft.) |
30-50
meters (98-164 ft.) |
3-10
meters (10-33 ft.) |
| Reproductive
Biology |
| Gestation
Period |
22
days |
22
days |
19
days |
| Breeding
Period |
Spring
& fall peaks |
Spring
& fall peaks |
Year
long |
| Young per
litter |
4-8 |
8-12 |
4-7 |
| Litters
per year |
4-6 |
4-7 |
8 |
