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Norway Rat, Brown Rat, Wharf Rat and Common Rat

Latin Name:: Rattus norvegicus
Appearance:: Brown, heavy-bodied, 6 to 8 inches long, with small eyes and ears and blunt nose. Tail is shorter than head and body. Its fur is shaggy and coarse. Droppings are capsule-shaped. Their vision is poor and they are unable to detect colour and are blind to long-wave light.
Habit:: Nests in underground burrows, from which they enter buildings in search of food. Tends to remain in hiding during the day. They are usually active at night and are good swimmers, both on the surface and underwater, but (unlike the related Black Rat Rattus rattus) are poor climbers. They dig well.
Diet:: The Brown Rat is a true omnivore and will consume almost anything, but with cereals forming a substantial part of the diet and prefers meats. Cannot survive long without water.
Reproduction:: Reaches sexual maturity in two months and can breed any month of the year. Litter may number from eight to twelve. Females can have four to seven litters per year. Adults live as long as one year due to high mortality rates. Brown Rats live in large hierarchical groups, either in burrows or subsurface places such as sewers and cellars. When food is in short supply, the rats lower in social order are the first to die. If a large fraction of a rat population is exterminated, the remaining rats will increase their reproductive rate, and quickly restore the old population level.
Other:: Most common rat in the U.S. Limited agility, but excellent swimmer. Carrier of many serious diseases.
Origins:: It is not known for certain why it is named Rattus norvegicus (Norwegian rat) since it does not originate from Norway, but most likely a book published in 1769 is the most likely source. Thought to have originated in northern China, this rodent has now spread to all continents and is the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America.
Diseasest:: Brown Rats are supposed to carry some diseases, including Weil's disease, cryptosporidiosis, Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), Q fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Unlike the Black Rat, Brown Rats rarely if ever carry bubonic plague.