Roof Rat

(Length: 7" – 8" head to tail) Black or brown in color, the roof rat is slender with a tail that is usually longer than the combined length of its head and body. They are nocturnal and prefer to forage for food above ground in elevated areas indoors and outdoors. They are excellent climbers and often use trees and utility lines to reach food and enter buildings. They are a plant and animal eater, but are very fond of fruit, especially oranges. They nest inside and under buildings, or in piles of rubbish or wood. These rats are more often found along the coast.

Norway Rat

(Length 16” head to tail) Also called the Wharf Rat, this rat is the largest of the urban rat species. It can be distinguished from the roof rat by its grayer coloration and a tail that is shorter than its body. It commonly nests in the soil, creating a system of burrows. Thought to have originated in northern China, this rodent has now spread to all continents except Antarctica, and is the dominant rat in Europe and much of North America—making it by at least this particular definition the most successful mammal on the planet after humans. With rare exceptions, the brown rat lives wherever humans live, particularly in urban areas.

Mouse

(Length: 2" – 4" head to tail) Light brown or light grey in color, the house mouse is small and slender with large ears and small eyes. They have a keen sense of hearing, taste, smell and touch. While they are mostly active at night they can be seen during the day searching for food. Although they usually feed on cereal grains, they will eat almost anything. They nest within structures or burrows and establish a "territory" near food sources, generally 10 to 30 feet from their nest. The house mouse is a prolific breeder.