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NORWAY RAT
Other Names: Brown Rat, Gray Rat, Common Rat, House Rat, Wharf Rat, Water Rat, Barn Rat, Sewer Rat, Super Rat
These "super rats" can reach 16" in length. Each female rat can give birth to 20 pups in her lifetime. Some factors affecting rat populations in cities include continuously mild winters, weather-related disasters, and encroachment of their habitats by new urban development. | | Description of the Norway Rat
| Scientific Name: | Rattus Norvegicus | Color: | Usually grayish-brown, but color varies from a pure gray to a reddish brown; hard to identify by color alone | Weight: | 10-16 ounces; larger than Roof Rat | Length: | 7-10 inches | Tail Length: | 6-8 inches; shorter than the body | Body: | Heavy & thick body, blunt nose | Ears: | Relatively small; close to body | Eyes: | Large & protruding black eyes | Lifespan: | 5 to 12 months | Droppings: | ¾ inch long with blunt ends; dark color; found in groupings | |
Reproduction of the Norway Rat
| Litter Size: | 8-12 pups per litter | No. of Litters: | 4-7 per year | Sexual Maturity: | 2-3 months | Gestation Period: | 22 days | Breeding Season: | Indoors: All year; Outdoors: Spring & Fall | |
Diet of the Norway Rat
| Daily Amount: | 0.5-1 ounce | 
| Daily Water: | 1-2 ounce | Daily Food: | Cereal grains, meats, seeds, cockroaches, fruits, shrimp
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Habitat of the Norway Rat | Geography: | Throughout the US and Canada | Nest Location: | Burrows in soil, sewers, basements, lower portion of buildings | Home Range: | 25-100 ft. from nest | Active Periods: | Nocturnal; most feeding occurs 30 minutes after sunset and before sunrise | | | | |
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