Body: brown, similar to the Roof Rat, but larger and chunkier; tail shorter than length of head and body
The Norway Rat lives both as a commensal in close association with man and in the feral state. As a commensal this rat lives principally in basements, on the ground floor, or in burrows under sidewalks or outbuildings. They feed on a variety of items including both plant and animal materials. All sorts of garbage appears to be welcome, but their main stay is plant material. Grains of various sorts are highly prized. These rats are prolific breeders. The gestation period varies from 21 to 23 days and the number of young from two to 14, averaging seven or eight. the Norway Rat is destructive to property and foodstuffs. Also, it plays an important part in the transmission of such human diseases as endemic typhus, ratbite fever, and bubonic plague.
