17 Common Rat Species: Appearance, Habitat & More

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Everything you need to know about wild and domesticated rats

Co-authored by Brian Starr and Jennifer Vasquez, BA, MA

Last Updated: September 2, 2026 Fact Checked

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Wild Rats

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Domesticated Rats

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What diseases do rats carry?

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Dozens of rat species exist worldwide, but some are more common than others. Rats are generally divided into wild rats and domesticated rats. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the most recognized rat types and shared interesting facts about their appearances, behaviors, and habitats. Plus, find out what health risks rats can pose. Read on to get started!

What are some different types of rats?

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An illustration of the most common types of rat species.

While dozens of rat species exist, they’re generally divided into two main categories: wild rats (aka pest rats) and domesticated rats. Some of the most common wild rat species are the black rat and brown rat. Domesticated pet rats belong to the fancy rats family, which includes the standard rat and rex rat.

Section 1 of 3:

Common Wild Rat Species

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1
Black Rat (Rattus rattus) The black rat, also called a roof rat or ship rat, has a slender body along with a long tail, fingers, and limbs, explains Rat Specialist and Breeder Brian Starr. He adds they’re good at climbing and jumping and are generally non-aggressive.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Brian Starr
Rat Specialist & Breeder

Expert Interview} Since they’re excellent climbers, these critters are often found in attics, in the upper parts of buildings, and in trees. You can also identify them by their big ears and eyes.^{[2]
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- Geographic location: “On the coast in warm parts of the United States,” says Starr.^{[3]
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  Brian Starr
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- Size: 6–8 inches (15–20 cm) long without tail; 6–10 inches (15–25 cm) tail length
- Color: Brown with black mixed in; gray, white, or black underside
- Health threat: Can transmit typhus via fleas, rat-bite fever, and salmonellosis via droppings
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Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) The nocturnal brown rat is also widely referred to as the Norway rat or sewer rat. Brown rats are usually the ones known to enter homes. These rats are burrowers that can be found in basements and crawlspaces. They can squeeze through holes as small as ¹⁄₂ inch (1.3 cm) and gnaw through all sorts of materials. They have small ears and eyes, a thick body, and a blunt nose. They are often drawn to food sources like meat, fish, cereals, and dog food.^{[4]
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- Geographic location: Found throughout the United States
- Size: 16 inches (41 cm) long with tail^{[5]
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- Color: Brown with black hairs mixed in; gray to white underside
- Health threat: Carriers of jaundice, rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis, and salmonellosis
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Polynesian Rat (Rattus exulans) The Polynesian rat is also known as the kiore rat. This small rat has a slender body, pointed nose, large ears, and small feet. They’re nocturnal and feed on seeds, leaves, fruit, insects, and bird eggs. They inhabit forests, grasslands, and urban and suburban environments.^{[6]
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- Geographic location: Southeast Asia, New Guinea, New Zealand, Hawaii, Easter Island^{[7]
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- Size: 4.5–6 inches (11–15 cm) long without tail; 6 inches (15 cm) tail length
- Color: Ruddy brown color with a whitish belly
- Health threat: Carriers of at least 10 diseases, such as leptospirosis, murine typhus, plague, and salmonellosis
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Woodrat (Neotoma) Woodrats are also known as pack rats because they collect and hoard materials to build their nests. While there are different subgroups of woodrats, they all generally have large ears, soft fur, and light colored feet and undersides. They are excellent climbers, nocturnal, and mainly eat twigs, grasses, and flowers.^{[8]
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- Geographic location: California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and Mexico
- Size: 11–16 inches (28–41 cm) long with tail
- Color: Gray to brown with white belly, throat, and feet
- Health threat: Can carry and transmit plague, Lyme disease, anaplasmosis^{[9]
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Kangaroo Rat (Dipodomys) The kangaroo rat has a large head, long tail, big eyes, and tiny ears. Its large hind feet allow it to jump up to 9 feet (2.7 m), which helps it to escape predators. These critters live in desert regions in underground burrows and primarily consume seeds from desert grasses.^{[10]
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- Geographic location: Western and southwestern United States
- Size: 3.5–5.5 inches (8.9–14.0 cm) long without tail; 5.5–6.5 inches (14–17 cm) tail length
- Color: Sandy brown with white belly
- Health threat: Can carry plague or hantaviruses that can be transmitted through parasites; their dander can trigger allergic reactions^{[11]
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- Kangaroo rats have pouches on the sides of their cheeks where they carry seeds.
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Marsh Rice Rat (Oryzomys palustris) Marsh rice rats have slender bodies and hairy ears. They’re nocturnal and make marshes and swamps their homes, thus their name. Their diet consists of seeds, leaves, insects, and bird eggs.^{[12]
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- Geographic location: Southeastern United States
- Size: 4.75 inches (12.1 cm) long without tail; 4.3–6.1 inches (11–15 cm) tail length
- Color: Gray-brown coat, gray belly, white feet
- Health threat: Carriers of Bayou virus, Lyme disease, Bartonella bacteria^{[13]
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Asian House Rat (Rattus tanezumi) Asian house rats have a slim body with large ears and eyes. They move fast and are known for their agility and excellent climbing skills. They like to nest in ceilings, roofs, and wall crevices. Their diet mainly consists of plant matter.^{[14]
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- Geographic location: Southeast Asia, the Philippines, South Africa
- Size: 4.4–8.8 inches (11–22 cm) long without tail; 4.3–9 inches (11–23 cm) tail length
- Color: Reddish-brown, greyish-brown, or dark brown fur with whitish belly
- Health threat: Linked to various diseases; host of ectoparasites; can carry rat-bite fever, plague, and leptospirosis
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Ricefield Rat (Rattus argentiventer) The ricefield rat is mostly active at night, but can sometimes be spotted during the day in fields and vegetation. It eats insects, seeds, nuts, veggies, and fruit. If disturbed, these rats may squeal or whistle.^{[15]
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- Geographic location: Southeast Asia
- Size: 11.9–15.7 inches (30–40 cm) long without tail; 5.5–7.8 inches (14–20 cm) tail length
- Color: Yellowish-brown fur with a gray belly
- Health threat: Carriers of the parasite Schistosoma spindale
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Long-Haired Rat (Rattus villosissimus) The long-haired rat is known for having a shaggy coat and long, coarse guard hairs. These rodents are also quite social and spend most of their time in underground burrows. However, they do come out at night to feed and move around. Their diet consists of stems, leaves, herbs, and sometimes insects.^{[16]
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- Geographic location: Australia
- Size: 4.7–8.6 inches (12–22 cm) long without tail; tail length is about the same
- Color: Light gray fur with black guard hairs
- Health threat: Can be carriers of rat-bite fever, hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis
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Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes) Bush rats have rounded ears and a shorter tail compared to other rat species. They also have a more pointed head and a visible pair of front teeth. They’re drawn to forests and woodlands and aren’t found in cities. That’s why it’s rare for humans to catch any diseases from them. They consume fungi, grasses, fruits, seeds, and insects.^{[17]
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- Geographic location: Australia
- Size: 4.3–8 inches (11–20 cm) long without tail; 4–7.6 inches (10–19 cm) tail length
- Color: Gray-brown to reddish with gray or whitish belly
- Health threat: Carries parasites and bacteria

Section 2 of 3:

Domesticated Rat Species

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1
Standard Rat (Rattus norvegicus) The standard rat may look similar to wild brown rats, but they have a smooth, glossy coat. Males may have longer, coarser hair. These pet rats eat rat pellets or blocks and need to drink water daily.^{[18]
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- Size: 9–11 inches (23–28 cm) long without tail; 7–9 inches (18–23 cm) tail length
- Color: Comes in a variety of colors depending on how they’re bred^{[19]
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Dumbo Rat (Rattus norvegicus) The dumbo rat is recognized by its large, round ears. Its ears are positioned low on the sides of its head instead of on top. It gets its name from the Disney character Dumbo and is just as cute. Like most domesticated rats, these little guys are smart and social. They eat the typical rat pellets or blocks, but you can also feed them fruits and veggies.^{[20]
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- Size: 15–22 inches (38–56 cm) long with tail
- Color: Black, gray, white, and other colors
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Rex Rat (Rattus norvegicus) The rex rat stands out because it has soft, curly fur, which gives them a woolly appearance. They’re sometimes called sheep rats. Their eyelashes and whiskers are also curled. As they age, though, their hairs start to thin, and they may develop bald spots.^{[21]
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- Size: 9–11 inches (23–28 cm) long without tail; 7–9 inches (18–23 cm) tail length
- Color: Comes in a variety of colors
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Hairless Rat (Rattus norvegicus) As the name suggests, hairless rats have no fur coat. These completely bald critters have pink, smooth skin. Like other domesticated rats, their diet consists of rat pellets, but they also need more food and water. It’s recommended that 20% of their diet consist of fruits and vegetables.^{[22]
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- Size: 9–11 inches (23–28 cm) long without tail; 7–9 inches (18–23 cm) tail length
- Color: Pink, bald skin
- For advice on pet rats and their diet, see our guide on feeding your pet rat.
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Tailless Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Tailless rats are also called manx rats. Their defining feature is that they lack a tail. Instead, they have a stub where the tail would be. Otherwise, they look like most other types of rats. They’re known to be sociable with people, affectionate, and playful.^{[23]
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- Size: 8–10 inches (20–25 cm) long
- Color: Colors vary
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Satin Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Like the name implies, the satin rat’s coat has a glossy sheen. Its hair is finer and slightly longer than other rat species. This rat’s hair is almost silky, which gives its coat a deeper hue. They’re smart, affectionate, and should be kept with other rats for socialization.^{[24]
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- Size: 16–20 inches (41–51 cm) long with tail
- Color: Colors vary
- Check out our guide on bathing your pet rat!
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Bristle Coat Rat (Rattus norvegicus) Bristle coat rats have wiry hair that’s coarse and spiky. They’re not as common as other types of domesticated rats, but they are kept as pets. They love companionship and are affectionate. Since they like to play, hammocks, ropes, and tunnels are great for them to use.^{[25]
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- Size: 7.8–9.8 inches (20–25 cm) long with a similar tail length
- Color: Colors vary

Section 3 of 3:

What diseases do rats carry?

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Wild rats commonly carry infectious diseases called zoonoses. Zoonoses are diseases that spread from animals to people. Some of the most common ones that wild rats are likely to carry include hantavirus, rat bite fever, tularemia, leptospirosis, and salmonellosis. These illnesses can be contracted through inhaling air particles from rat droppings, food contamination, rat bites, or bites from fleas or lice that were on an infected rat.^{[26]
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- How to protect yourself: Avoid rat-related illnesses by preventing rat infestations in your home. Sealing openings rats can use, removing food sources, using rat traps, and contacting a professional for severe infestations can reduce health risks.^{[27]
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  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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