Wildlifeof China
Brown Rat
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: osianshirley (iNaturalist) · CC BY 4.0
Rattus norvegicus
Basic stats
Diet
Discarded food, seeds, plant material, fish, birds, mice and small reptiles
Habitat
Sewers, buildings, refuse sites, fields, woodland and other places offering food and shelter
Range
Originally northern China; now worldwide except Antarctica
Litter size
2–14
Gestation period
22–24 days
Size
Approximately 40cm nose to tail
Weight
140–500g
The brown rat, also called the Norway rat, is a large, robust murid with coarse brownish upper fur and a greyer or tan underside. Its largely bare tail is shorter than its body, and its ears are comparatively short. Adults average close to 40cm from nose to tail and weigh 140–500g, with males usually larger than females. The species is considered originally native to northern China. (Animal Diversity Web)
Brown rats now inhabit human settlements worldwide, using sewers, refuse sites, basements, fields and woodland wherever food and shelter are available. They are mainly nocturnal, dig complex burrow systems, swim well and navigate established feeding routes. Their broad diet includes discarded food and both plant and animal matter. Females may breed throughout the year and produce 2–14 pups after a gestation of 22–24 days. (Animal Diversity Web)
Quick answers
- What does the Brown Rat eat?
- Discarded food, seeds, plant material, fish, birds, mice and small reptiles
- What habitat does the Brown Rat live in?
- Sewers, buildings, refuse sites, fields, woodland and other places offering food and shelter
- Where is the Brown Rat found?
- Originally northern China; now worldwide except Antarctica
- What is the litter size of the Brown Rat?
- 2–14
- How long is the gestation period of the Brown Rat?
- 22–24 days
- How big is the Brown Rat?
- Approximately 40cm nose to tail
- How much does the Brown Rat weigh?
- 140–500g