Rats

Food

Rats are omnivorous and will eat just about anything. In the wild this ranges from seeds and nuts to insects. Urban rats will eat food scraps in rubbish and food left lying around.

Size

The fur is coarse and usually brown or dark grey, while the underparts are lighter grey or brown. The length can be up to 25 cm (10 in), with the tail a further 25 cm (10 in), the same length as the body. Adult body weight averages 550 g (19 oz) in males and about 350 g (12 oz) in females, but a very large individual can reach 900 g (32 oz). Rats weighing over 1 kg (2.2 lb) are exceptional.