Rats are some of the smartest and most adaptable animals in the world. No matter where they live, cities, forests, deserts, or swamps, different rat species have their own tricks for surviving. If you’re curious about how these clever rodents thrive in so many places, keep reading to learn more or see more from this company for helpful pest insights.
Norway Rats: Built for the Ground
Norway rats, also known as brown rats, are big, strong rats that live close to people. You’ll often find them in basements, under porches, or near trash piles. They like to dig tunnels and make nests underground. In the wild, they burrow near rivers or fields.
These rats are great swimmers, so they can live in areas with lots of water, like sewers or harbors. Their bodies are strong and tough, and they eat almost anything, from grain and meat to garbage. That’s part of what makes them so good at surviving in both cities and farms.
They’re also super smart. Norway rats are very careful around new objects, which helps them avoid traps and danger. Their brains help them learn quickly and find new food or shelter when they need it.
Roof Rats: Masters of Climbing
Roof rats, or black rats, like to live up high. They’re slimmer than Norway rats and have long tails that help them balance while climbing. You might find them in attics, on rooftops, or in trees.
They use power lines, fences, and overhanging branches to move safely from one spot to another. Because they’re great climbers, they don’t often compete with ground-dwelling rats for space. Instead, they find hidden spots above ground to build their nests.
Roof rats enjoy eating fruit, seeds, and grains, but they’ll snack on whatever is around, including food scraps in your home. They adapt well to warm places, especially near the coast.
Pack Rats: Collectors of the West
Pack rats, also called woodrats, live in rocky places, forests, or even inside homes. They get their name because they love to collect shiny or interesting objects to bring back to their nests. Their nests are often built out of sticks, leaves, and anything else they can find.
These rats are the largest of the bunch and live mostly in the western parts of North America. Their homes can be found in tree branches, inside logs, or even under car hoods.
Pack rats mostly eat plants, seeds, and fruits. But if they’re near people, they’ll take what they can find. They’re known for being noisy and curious, sometimes dropping one item just to pick up something new!
Kangaroo Rats: Desert Jumpers
Kangaroo rats live in dry, sandy places like deserts. They get their name from their long back legs that let them hop like little kangaroos. These legs help them jump away from predators in a flash.
Even though they live where there’s almost no water, they don’t need to drink. Instead, they get all the water they need from the seeds they eat. Their bodies are amazing at saving water, so much so that their urine comes out super concentrated to prevent losing too much moisture.
They build tunnels underground to stay cool during the hot daytime. At night, they come out to look for food.
Marsh Rats: Swimmers of the South
Marsh rats, also called rice rats, live in swampy areas like wetlands and marshes. They are great swimmers, thanks to their water-repelling fur and webbed toes that help them paddle.
They eat plants, bugs, fish, and even crabs. Since they live near water, their bodies are built to stay dry and warm even in wet places. You’ll mostly find them in the southeastern U.S., especially near the Gulf Coast.
Their populations go up in summer when food is plentiful and dip in winter when it’s colder.
Rats Are Survival Experts
From the ground-digging Norway rat to the tree-loving roof rat, each species has special skills that help it survive. Whether it’s swimming, climbing, collecting, or jumping, rats know how to make the most of any environment.
Understanding these differences can help people know what kind of rat might be nearby and how to prevent them from making a home where they don’t belong.
