Brown Rat vs. Black Rat - a comparison of species
Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) | vs. | Black Rat (Rattus Rattus) |
Thought to
have originated in northern China and spread to all continents except
Antarctica, now the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America
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Originated in
India and Southeast Asia, spreading to the Near East and Egypt, throughout
the Roman Empire, reaching the UK as early as the 1st century.
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Appearance
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Up to 40cm in length, tail shorter than head and body
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32-46cm in length (including tail), tail longer than
head and body
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350-500g in weight
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110-340g in weight
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Slanted nose, small ears, thicker body compared to the
Black Rat
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Pointed nose, large ears and slender body (compared to
the Brown Rat)
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Lifecycle
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7-8 young per litter; 3-6 litters a year
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5-10 young per litter; 3-6 litters per year
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Gestation period: 3 weeks
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Gestation period: 3 weeks
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10-12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity
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12-16 weeks from birth to sexual maturity
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Habits
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Usually ground living and burrowing, very good swimmer,
but a poor climber
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Often climbs, agile, rarely burrows and rarely found
outdoors in the UK
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Only species to be found in UK sewers
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Rare in the UK, appearance mainly confined to sea ports
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Mainly cereals (although been known to eat anything!)
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Fruit, nuts, seeds
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Will eat around 30g of food a day and drink 60ml
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Will eat approx 15g of food a day, drink 15ml
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Image source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vergleich_Hausratte_Wanderratte_DE.svg
