Wildlifeof India
Roof Rat
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: (c) Emma, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Rattus rattus
Basic stats
Diet
Seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi and invertebrates; also crops such as cereals, sugar cane and coconuts
Habitat
Trees and palms, and the upper floors of buildings
Litter size
Up to 5 litters in a season
Size
Head and body 12.75–18.25cm; tail 15–22cm
Weight
75–230g
The black or roof rat is a strong climber that prefers to nest in palms and trees, or in the upper floors of houses. Adults measure 12.75–18.25 cm in head and body, not counting a tail of 15–22 cm, and weigh 75–230 g depending on the subspecies. It is an omnivore, eating seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi and invertebrates, and crops such as cereals, sugar cane and coconuts (Wikipedia, general species account).
The species probably originated in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia and spread to the Near East, Egypt and then Europe. It breeds year-round, and a female can have up to five litters in a season. In parts of India it is considered sacred, notably at the Karni Mata Temple in Deshnoke. Population booms linked to the fruiting of bamboo can devastate subsistence crops, a phenomenon known as mautam in parts of India (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Roof Rat eat?
- Seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi and invertebrates; also crops such as cereals, sugar cane and coconuts
- What habitat does the Roof Rat live in?
- Trees and palms, and the upper floors of buildings
- What is the litter size of the Roof Rat?
- Up to 5 litters in a season
- How big is the Roof Rat?
- Head and body 12.75–18.25cm; tail 15–22cm
- How much does the Roof Rat weigh?
- 75–230g