Biology of Black Rat

There are numerous species of New York rats out there and sometimes distinguishing them can be problematic, but there are some traits that are quite characteristic of certain species like the Black Rat or Rattus rattus in Latin. Of course, as the very name says, that predominant characteristic is their black colored hair, they are somewhat smaller in size when compared to the other common species for example, the Syracuse brown rat. But there are other interesting characteristics that you should be aware of for this particular type of rat.



One noticeable thing straightway is that their tails are longer than both their head and their very body, their tails are hairless and they are generally believed to be used for balance by the Syracuse rats. As we mentioned earlier, they are of smaller size, so their total body length does not exceed 25cm while their tail length is no longer than a maximum of 26-27 cm, which is still quite impressive when seen in person. They usually weigh between 150 to 300 grams and they are predominantly nocturnal New York animals.

They do however; have a tendency to go out during the day if the area of their habitat is peaceful enough. As for their diet, they are omnivores which means that they eat whatever they are able to find, which might be one of the reasons why they are so widely spread throughout the world and the reason why they have been a part of human history since the ancient times. A more specific insight into their diet will reveal that most common food they consume consists of seeds and mostly fruits, but they still won't hesitate to take on any Syracuse insects or even feces in times of need. Rats live in packs, groups that are made up of a couple of males and a couple of females, usually no more than two. One additional characteristic is that they are excellent climbers and more than good swimmers.

Their breeding period is usually between March to November, and the astonishing fact is that they are able to produce 4-5 Syracuse litters per year, with each containing up to 15 young, this amounts to the number of more than 60 offspring per individual female during just 1 year. This is why keeping their population in check is immensely important. Their maximum lifespan recorded in the wild is about 18 months, more or less. During the middle ages, the New York black rat was the carrier of fleas that were infected with the bubonic plague, but nowadays it is a host of a number of other dangerous diseases that can pose a health risk to humans. Their habitats are characteristic of all sorts of buildings around the world where there is rubbish in abundance since they thrive from it as a source of food.

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