Facts About Rat

Rat is a rodent from the superfamily Muroidea with 50 species and has short body and long tail. In addition it has dexterous paws, a pointed muzzle, poor eyesight and is colorblind. However, its sense to hear, smell, touch and taste is quite strong. The rat touches things through its long whiskers and has an ultrasonic hearing power. The rat is an intelligent, mischievous, cute, lively and social animal that is kept as pet too, in many countries across the globe. Rat is also responsible for spreading various diseases like plague amongst humans and foot & mouth disease and classical swine flu in the livestock cattle. Read on to know all the interesting and amazing information about this animal.

Facts About Rat

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Subphylum: Vertebrata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Rodentia

Suborder: Myomorpha

Superfamily: Muroidea

Family: Muridae

Subfamily: Murinae

Genus: Rattus

Species: 50 species

Body Length: 9 to11 inches

Tail Length: 7–9 inches

Weight: 350 to 450 grams (female)/ 450 to 650 grams (male)

Life Span: 2 to 3 years

Diet: Rat is omnivores. The things it consume include seeds, fruit, grains, nuts, flowers, leaves, insects, birds, reptiles, fish, eggs and fungus.

Range: Originated in Asia and found throughout the world.

Habitat: In any situation that provides food, water and shelter

Age of Sexual Maturity: 5 weeks

Gestation Period: 20 to 22 days

Number of Offspring: 8 to 12 babies in a litter but can have as few as 1 and as many as 20.

Interesting & Amazing Information On Rat

Rat is very social animal that likes to stay, play and loves to sleep curled up together. In addition, it takes care of the sick and hurt rat in its group.
With the lack of companionship, a rat can become depressed, lonely and stressed and hence needs a friend.
Rats live in strong social hierarchy and groups that is known as mischief. The strongest and biggest rat in this hierarchy gets the best food and harborage.
The tail of the rat is very useful as it helps to balance, communicate and regulate its temperature.
A rat has a sharp memory and always remembers the navigation routes to the places.
Rats don’t have canine teeth, thumbs, and gallbladders.
Rats have bellybuttons.
The different groups of rat is known with different names- does is the name given to unmated females, bucks for the male rats, dams for the pregnant or parent females and kittens or pups for the infants.
A rat is a very clean animal and spends a lot of time on grooming itself and each other.
It can go longer without water than camel and can also survive unhurt after falling from 15 meters.
As for the popular notion, rat does not like cheese and is quite allergic to it. However, it loves chocolate!
The relation between a male and a female rat can last for just 2 seconds in which they can complete courting ritual and the whole romantic ritual.
A rat is a curious and shy animal and would prefer to flee away sensing a danger rather than confronting it.
The thumbs, canine teeth, gallbladders or tonsils are missing in a rat but it does have bellybuttons.
It has been used as food by people and pets and is of different value in different cultures. While it is the first animal on Chinese zodiac, it is worshipped in India by Hindus as the vehicle of lord Ganesha and has a whole temple known as Karni Mata Temple devoted to them where it is held to be destined for the reincarnation as Sadhus.
In Western culture, the connotation with rat is often negative as it is used to insult a person. It is also considered as an unclean animal that steals food and spread disease. However, some people have kept them as pets too and found them to be clean, intelligent and disciplined creatures.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Society'