What Rats Are Native to North America?
WouterIf you are wondering what rats are native to North America, you’re not alone. These rodents can tolerate a variety of climate and environmental conditions. Whether you live in Alaska, New York, California, or Canada, these creatures are likely to be in your area. In fact, some species have adapted to life in extreme cold conditions.
One of the most common pests in the world, rats are a nuisance that can ruin your food, destroy your structures, and affect your health. Fortunately, signs of rat infestation are fairly easy to spot. In North America, you can identify two types of rats: the bushy-tailed wood rat (Neotoma cinerea), the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus), and the brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).
In North America, rats and mice are closely related. However, the appearance of the two species is remarkably different. Despite being related, they have a large range of habitat and behavior. In fact, they make up one of the three subfamilies of rodents. Those three are the most commonly recognized species. However, there are hundreds of different species of rats and mice.
The desert woodrat is the largest member of the subfamily Sigmodontinae. It weighs about a pound and is comparable in size to a grey squirrel. It measures approximately 16 inches long and has large eyes and ears. These rodents live in dry, rocky areas. They are nocturnal, but they can occasionally be found during the day. They are territorial and solitary, and they build large, multilevel ‘quasi-structures’ from debris.
