Roof Rat Vs Wood Rat

Their tails are shorter than their bodies and they are usually covered in scales as are their ears.

Roof rat vs wood rat.

There are over 20 species of pack rats from the arctic to central america. Female roof rats have 10 teats norway rats have heavy thick bodies blunt muzzles and small close set ears. There are several distinguishing characteristics. Facts about rats roof rat or black rat.

Another way to differentiate between the two rodents is size. Additionally the roof rat. If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head. The allegheny woodrat was once thought to be a subspecies of the eastern woodrat.

Roof rats in texas. This rat prefers the inland areas of the northeastern united states. How might you compare a roof rat vs. Color is an easy way to identify roof rats vs.

Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. Inspecting roof rat. Roof rats are not as common as norway rats. The roof rat has a long tail which is longer than the combined length of the head and body.

Pack rats on the other hand are not considered true rats as they belong to the neotoma genus they are a different species. It s usually easy to tell them apart from roof rats especially by the shape of their droppings which are not only capsule shaped but also much larger than those of roof rats. 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. But after its dna was indexed alongside other rats in the eastern woodrat species it was discovered that the allegheny woodrat is indeed a species of its own.

Their 6 inch to 8 1 2 inch tails are dark on top with lighter undersides. They re typically found within 100 miles of the gulf coastline or the coastline of the western united states. The adult roof rat is about 7 10 inches long and weighs about 5 9 ounces. The species found in arizona is the white throat wood rat also known as woodrat and new world rat.

Roof rats have black fur with pale underbellies while norway rats have brownish gray coats. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. Their undersides are often white gray or black. Roof rats got their name because of the fact that these rodents are natural climbers that prefer to build their nests in high up locations such as in eaves or attic rafters.

Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. Roof rats rattus rattus are most likely to be found nesting in attics and other high up places such as ceilings tall cabinets and the inside of walls. The fur of roof rat is smooth while the fur of the norway rat is rough and shaggy.