house rat
Quick Summary
The term "rat" generally refers to medium-sized rodents with bodies longer than 12 cm (5 inches) from the genus Rattus. The house rat, or R. rattus, is one of two species, along with the brown rat (R. norvegicus), that have spread globally with human populations. House rats are more common in warmer climates, while brown rats are prevalent in temperate regions and urban areas.
These rodents are known for consuming and contaminating human food sources, particularly stored grains. They have also been implicated in the spread of numerous diseases to humans, including bubonic plague and food poisoning. While often considered pests, brown rats are also utilized in worldwide laboratory research and are sometimes kept as pets.12
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