LYCOS RETRIEVER 
Rats: Norway Rats
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The roof rat (Rattus Rattus) is one of two introduced rats found in the contiguous 48 states. The Norway rat is the other species and is better known because of its widespread distribution. When distinguishing the Norway rat from the Roof rat, pull the tail back over the body. The tail of the Roof rat will reach the nose. The tail of the Norway rat will not reach beyond the ears. A third rat species, the Polynesian rat, is present in the Hawaiian Islands but not on the mainland. Rattus Rattus is commonly known as the roof rat, black rat or ship rat.
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The young rats reach sexual maturity in 2-3 months, females average 4-7litters a year, with 8-12 pups per litter. Adults live about a year. They live in colonies. The Norway rat generally prefers to live in underground tunnels. On farms, they will be near a food source: barns, granaries, livestock buildings, and silos. In the cities, they will be in the ground in their is available space, but have been known live entirely inside buildings.
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Roof rats and Norway rats have similar Life Histories and habits. Where differences are important for management purposes... the differences will be highlighted. Rats have poor vision. Rats are wary of anything new that appears in their territory, avoiding the new object for a few days until the rats become familiar with it.
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Norway rats and house mice belong to different species. A species is a group of related individuals or populations which are potentially capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. So Norway rats and house mice belong to different species and cannot interbreed. Humans and orangutangs, chipmunks and red squirrels, bottlenosed dolphins and killer whales, all belong to different species.
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Black and Norway rats will consume many different types of plant and animal foods such as seed that has been spilled from bird feeders or pet food that has been left outdoors. One ounce of food is all that is needed in one day for a rat to survive with some access to water. Norway rats will eat insects, meat refuse, bird eggs, and, given the opportunity, will devour small mammals and mice.
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The food habits of roof rats resemble those of tree squirrels, since they both like a wide variety of fruit and nuts. They ... feed on a variety of ornamental and native plant materials. Like the Norway rat, they are omnivorous and will feed on most anything if necessary. Roof rats usually require water daily, though their local diet may provide an adequate amount if high in water content.
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Norway Rats