Black Rat / Roof Rat
Rattus rattus
Appearance
- 6 3/8" – 9 7/16" in length, with a tail longer than the head and body.
- 150 – 200g in weight.
- Pointed nose, large ears and a slender body when compared to the Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus).
Lifecycle
- 5 – 10 young per litter; 3 – 6 litters a year.
- Gestation period of about 3 weeks.
- 12 – 16 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.
Habits
- Quite Rare. Appearance confined mainly to ports.
- Often climbs, agile, rarely burrowing and rarely outdoors in Northern America.
- Preferred food is moist fruits.
- Will eat around 15g of food a day and drink 15ml.
