Rats

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Identification of small mammals from photos is uncertain. It helps to have multiple photos, preferably with a scale in all images, showing: the ratio of tail-length to body-length; the nature of the ears, including how far the ear lobe will reach, in relation to the eye, when the ear lobe is folded forward; the pads under the hind feet; the fur above and below the body, any markings on the head or face; and the scales and fur on the tail.

Rats

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Discussion

DonFletcher wrote:

Yesterday

Hi @MaartjeSevenster, Black Rats will eat almost anything but they quite like fruit and veggies. Living in the suburbs, we and various neighbours have chooks, so if I put a camera out, there are always rats. They travel between the backyards, eat the food that the chooks spill from the feeders, eat fruit on the trees, and raid any compost bins they can get into. In winter they have sometimes tried to set up house in our roofspace or below our floor. We once had one that learned to get into the kitchen and do some amazing jumps to get onto the bench, where it would sample the tomatoes and whatever was in the fruit bowl. It invested a lot of effort and risk to get that fruit.

Rattus rattus

MaartjeSevenster wrote:

Yesterday

Thanks @DonFletcher this one (and friend(s)) had taken up residence in our fruit and vegie enclosure and taken a liking to lettuce and apples. Which again confused me a bit, but I guess lately all mammals have had to eat whatever was available...

Rattus rattus

DonFletcher wrote:

Yesterday

Hi @MaartjeSevenster, thanks for your well positioned and comprehensive photos and especially for the measurements. The only Rattus in Australia with tail longer than head-body, as an adult, is Rattus rattus and it comes in a wide variety of fur colours so the common name Black Rat is highly misleading. Roof rat better reflets its commensalism and penchant for climbing, but it is also widespread in bushland where it preys on birds nests, which the Bush Rat does not. Fur colour of the two species overlaps.

Rattus rattus

JenniferS wrote:

6 Jun 2025

Oh right. Well, I’m hoping our other wildlife gets busy then. So the black rat can also be very brown? (These are not the slightest bit black).

Rattus rattus

MartinPredavec wrote:

6 Jun 2025

Both species have a large range of body size (which overlap). On average, bush rats are smaller than black rats.

Rattus rattus

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