# Roof rat

*Rattus rattus*

**Identification confidence:** Identifiable with care

## How to recognise it

- The tail is longer than the head and body combined — laid back it reaches past the shoulders. This is the decisive separator from the Norway rat.
- Slender and pointed-nosed, 160 to 205 mm excluding tail, noticeably lighter in build than a Norway rat.
- Ears are large and thin, reaching the eyes when folded forward.
- Droppings are 12 to 13 mm with pointed ends, more spindle-shaped than the Norway rat's blunt capsules.

## What it leaves behind

- Activity overhead — noises in attics, ceilings, and soffits rather than in basements.
- Damage to fruit on trees, and hollowed citrus left hanging.
- Runways along utility lines, fence tops, and tree branches contacting the roof.

## Why an infestation persists

Roof rats are agile climbers that live above ground, which is why they occupy attics and upper storeys while Norway rats occupy basements. They travel along branches, utility lines, and fence tops, so the entry route is usually at the roofline. Like Norway rats they are wary of new objects.


## Where it occurs

Coastal and southern states — the Pacific coast, the Gulf Coast, Florida, and the Southeast, plus Hawaii. Largely absent from the northern interior.

## What prevents it

- Trim tree limbs back at least 1.2 m from the roof and remove vines climbing walls.
- Seal roofline gaps, screen vents and eaves, and cap chimneys.
- Harvest fruit promptly and clear fallen fruit and nuts.
- Secure attic access points and check where utility lines enter.

## Commonly confused with

- **Norway rat** (*Rattus norvegicus*) — The tail is shorter than the head and body combined — laid back along the animal it does not reach the shoulders. This separates it from the roof rat.

**Verdict:** professional-recommended. Roofline access points are difficult and often unsafe to inspect and seal properly, and an attic population damages wiring and insulation.

Source: https://againstpest.shop/identify/rodents/roof-rat/