Characteristics

Size: It attains a length of about 18 to 26 cm (about 7 to 10 in), not including the tail, which is about 15 to 22 cm (about 6 to 9 in) long.

Color: Light gray to brown, with dull-colored, coarse fur; long tails; large ears; and a pointed snout.

Behavior: Rats have extremely powerful teeth, with which they often gnaw through wooden planks to get at stores of food, and they have even been known to bite holes in lead pipes. They are usually nocturnal and live in human habitations, in forests, in deserts, and on seagoing ships. They are extremely prolific, breeding 1 to 13 times a year and producing 1 to 22 young in a litter. Most species of rats are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous.

Habitat: Outside, rats live in fields, wooded areas, vacant lots, farms, and just about anywhere people have buildings. Rats are seldom a problem in homes except in urban and rural areas. This is due in large part to their size, since rats need a hole about the size of a quarter in order to gain entry into a building. Rats however, may find harborage in many areas around the home - especially in stacked firewood, stones and bricks, and piles of leaves or other debris.