the house-rat, beside the traveling-rat, is that much rarer second, however native rat-type. it connects very narrowly to the people. If it takes second place far to the traveling-rat also in Central Europe, caused by her rare appearance, in its harmfulness, so however it is, seen world-wide, an extremely dangerous pest.
Origin and spread The original home of the house-rat doesn't let itself boast exactly. However, it is regarded as secured that the southern Europe and above all the southern Asia is the Urheimat of this so successful rodent. Through the development of the merchandise and shipping-traffic in the last centuries, the house-rat could spread above all as "ship-rat" world-wide. it is a cosmopolitan today. However, she set cold and it, beside the human being, maybe worst enemy, the traveling-rat, often borders, so that it is not to immediately frequently be found everywhere. To Europe, it rather than the traveling-rat reached, it also is main for the disastrous plague-epidemics of the Middle ages responsible (rats).
Shape The house-rat is smaller and easier than the traveling-rat. it measures 16-22 cm without tail and weighs usually only 150-250 g. its tail is with 19-24 cm longer than the body, in what it clearly differs from the traveling-rat, whose tail is more and more shortly than the body. Also the number of the tail-rings always surpasses those of the traveling-rat, who has only 160-190 rings, with 200-260 - in the case of doubt always a sure regulation-characteristic. The head is narrower than this the traveling-rat, and the longer ears are, in contrast to which smaller, fine-hairy traveling-rat-ears, bare.
The house-rat actually works more "mouse" - as "rats" - similarly. It also is not at all so simple for the not-expert to distinguish one young, not full-grown house-rat from an adult house-mouse. However, the house-mouse immediately betrays herself through the typical "mouse" - smell.
Coloring In Central Europe, the house-rat usually writes down brown - until gray-black, unterseits somewhat more brightly colored fur. However, also black or lighter, dun and brown as well as "colorful" house-rats with clearly put white breast-drawing occur. In a throw, the most different color-variations can occur. Some of these color-games were regarded as own types or subtypes earlier.
Subtypes From the house-rat, many subtypes are known, that Z. T. occur world-wide. In north and Central Europe, the subtype lives Rattus rattus rattus. In the Mediterranean-area and other warm regions, we find Rattus rattus alexandrinus. Also, the fruit-rat lives Rattus rattus frugivorus in very warm areas. Animals with lighter fur, oberseits gray or dun, unterseits light-knows or gray, was marked earlier than "roof-rats" with us. All subtypes are fertile of course across-devoid of, avoids, however, as it, a mixture, seems.
Habitat As heat-loving animal, the house-rat joins the human being very narrowly in the restrained and colder widths. it is therefore only found extremely rarely with us outside human constructions. it also finds itself in warmer and in tropical regions outside. it usually lives on trees there, in which it builds also its spherical nests. Normally, the proximity of the human being is however also preferred here, it usually finds shelter and food with it, however, more easily than outside.
The house-rat avoids cold and dampness, with what it tolerates cold more badly than moisture. The upper floors are its empire in human buildings, grounds and roofs, in whose frame the kletterfreudige animal understands herumzuturnen quite admirably. This way, it goes also its competitor, the traveling-rat, who acts usually much more deeply than "canal-workers", from the way. However, this doesn't exclude that the house-rat lives also to even earth at other place. On ships, it probably goes too already as "ship-rat" since the human being is at all capable to build bigger ships.
Way of life The house-rat is predominantly in the twilight and at night active. it surpasses the traveling-rat considerably in the mountaineering and jumping, hardly digs it for it, however, and avoids if it, swimming, goes. its social-behavior corresponds to that of the traveling-rat. it is so easily far less aggressively, also opposite Artgenossen, and not touchy, however.
Crossings between house and traveling-rats are not known.
Food The house-rat doesn't show, the blutdürstige, predatory behavior of its sister-type, eats it animal food only as Beikost. Grains, fruits and vegetables are preferred outside and in houses of course food-supplies, with what it attacks particularly cereal, sugar and plant-fat. If one wants to catch it, this must be taken into account, because mostly it spurns meat-baits.
Reproduction In Central Europe applies - until twice in the year after 24tägiger Tragzeit usually 6-12 kids to the world, however, also already throws were counted with 20 boys. Remove the number of the throws per year and the throw-size to strong extent of the temperature and the food-offer. In warmer countries, the house-rats multiply faster than with us with sufficient food, where it, what the increase-ability involves, that traveling-rat is subject to.
Endangering For approximately one century, the house-rats decreased very strongly in the middle Europe in its frequency. They are missing completely in some areas meanwhile. In Germany, the house-rat is already on the red list of the strongly endangered types of animal, for whose conservation precautions would have to be seized. This may appear to some reader strange surely. The house-rat is component of our native wildlife, that must be gotten in its totality, however equally as that also endangered, us however much more pleasantly appearing dormice and St. Swithin's Day.
For the decline of the house-rat with us, the traveling-rat is done responsible multiple. The traveling-rat is more aggressively and reproductive-wise superior more powerful, persevering. If the fight between house and traveling-rat occurs once, so the traveling-rat always is the sure winner. Nevertheless, the traveling-rat is involved at the retreat of the house-rat probably only to one small part. Both types only rarely meet, because they occupy quite different ecological niches. The main-reasons were allowed to the disappearance of the wood-houses, that hollow floors and the thatch, in which the house-rat found quite excellent life-conditions earlier, is.
Damage In warmer and tropical regions, the house-rat is a dangerous pest, who hardly takes second place to the traveling-rat. it destroys not only large quantities of foods but transfers also a whole row of vicious illnesses, as the bubonic plague, the Weilsche illness (Leptospirosis icterohaemorrhagiae), caused one by Leptospiren (screw-bacteria, Spirochaeta) to call especially dangerous form of the jaundice, as well as the rabies and the Rattenbißkrankheit, about the most important.
The damages usually are only low with us or from local meaning. Above all in seaports, the house-rat is to even somewhat more frequently be found. it causes not only direct grub-damages but spoils also much food through getting dirty with urine or excrement. Furthermore, doors, furniture and other objects often are damaged by Benagen.
Enemies The natural enemies of the house-rat are gripping-birds, owls, stone-martens, ermine, polecat and the mouse-weasel. However, all these types of animal became so rare that they don't play any more role for the natural fight with local occurrence of the house-rat. Comings and again, some cats and also dogs ("Rattler") specialize in the rat-hunt.
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