Mammal / Rattus rattus
House Rat
Lowest risk
Native
The black rat, also known as ship rat, roof rat, or house rat—is a common long-tailed rodent of the stereotypical rat genus Rattus, in the subfamily Murinae. It likely originated in the Indian subcontinent, but is now found worldwide.
- Range elevation
- 0 to 250 m
- Range mass
- 70 to 300 g
- Average mass
- 200 g
- Range length
- 16 to 22 cm
- Average basal metabolic rate
- 0.77 W
- Breeding interval
- R. rattus breeds year-round producing up to five litters in that time.
- Breeding season
- R. rattus mates throughout the year if environmental conditions permit, however peak times are summer and autumn seasons.
- Range number of offspring
- 6 to 12
- Average number of offspring
- 8
- Average number of offspring
- 7.3
- Range gestation period
- 21 to 29 days
- Range weaning age
- 3 to 4 weeks
- Range time to independence
- 3 to 4 weeks
- Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female)
- 3 to 5 months
- Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male)
- 3 to 5 months
- Range lifespan
Status: wild - 1 (high) years
- Range lifespan
Status: captivity - 4 (high) years
- Typical lifespan
Status: wild - 1 (high) years
- Typical lifespan
Status: captivity - 1 (low) years
- Range territory size
- 100 (high) m^2
Gillespie, H. 2004. "Rattus rattus" (On-line), Animal Diversity Web. Accessed November 10, 2020 at https://animaldiversity.org/accounts/Rattus_rattus/
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