Rats regularly make headlines that make our blood run cold. Of course, not all rats are the same. This guide calls rat species in Germany by name. Find out about their appearance, characteristics and lifestyle here. You can find out which rats are suitable as pets here.
What types of rats are there in Germany?
The brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the black rat (Rattus rattus) are common in Germany. Brown rats are larger, more competitive and widespread, while black rats are threatened with extinction. Colored rats, derived from brown rats, are popular as pets and are characterized by numerous colors.
- Rat species in Germany are the brown rat or sewer rat (Rattus norvegicus) and the house rat or ship rat (Rattus rattus).
- Black rats are larger, more competitive and widespread. Domestic rats are threatened with extinction.
- Colored rats are popular pets and are descended from brown rats.
Large rat species list – facts at a glance
Strictly speaking, there are only two species of rats that scare us in Germany. The short list is completed by peace-loving, harmless colored rats who delight with their remarkable drawings and color strokes. The following list and pictures illustrate the outstanding differences between the wild, large rat species and the domesticated colored rats that have been bred to be pampered:
| Types of Rats | Wild rats | Domestic Rats | color rats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Head-torso length | 18-26 cm | 17-22 cm | 22-26 cm |
| Tail Length | 14-21 cm | 18-23 cm | 18-22 cm |
| Total length | 32-47 cm | 35-45 cm | 40-48 cm |
| fur color | brown-gray to brown-black | dark brown to black | numerous colors |
| Weight | 350-550 g | 160-210 g | 200-500 g |
| habitat | Sewers | Building | Cage |
| Food preference | Grains, waste | Fruits, plant-based food | Dry food, fruit, vegetables |
| Scientific name | Rattus norvegicus | Rattus rattus | Rattus norvegicus forma domestica |
| Common name | Sewer Rat | Ship Rat | Lab rat |
Has the compact list of facts aroused your interest in more information about rat species in Germany? Then please read on. The sober curtain of facts is pushed aside by insightful short portraits. Individual characteristics and lifestyles emerge that make each rat species unique.
Black rat on the rise - characteristics and lifestyle
Wanderrats actually like hiking
At the beginning of the 18th century, the brown rat caught the travel bug and set off from Southeast Asia towards the west. Russia was the gateway to Germany for the wandering rodents. Here the omnivores with a penchant for dark, damp conditions found everything a rat's heart desired. Brown rats are smart, capable of learning and very social. The rodents live in packs of up to 60 animals that recognize each other by smell. A territory is defended against foreign intruders with combined forces. The following overview summarizes what else characterizes the large rat species in Germany:
- omnivores: discarded food, grains, nuts, paper, soap, furs, leather, birds, fish, eggs, worms
- Flexible activity: predominantly active at dusk and at night, also diurnal in the absence of humans
- Highly developed senses: excellent sense of smell, touch and hearing, vibrissae and guide hairs all over the body
- Resistance-active: rapid development of resistance to numerous rat poisons
Rats are hosts and excreters of up to 120 serious pathogens. These include tapeworms, cholera, dysentery, toxoplasmosis, tuberculosis, hepatitis and the dreaded hantavirus.
Explosive spread
Underground sewage systems are the refuge of brown rats, which is aptly referenced by their second name, sewer rat. The beasts also love garbage dumps, ruined buildings, junk and dense bushes. As long as a shelter provides enough food, it is not safe from voracious rats. The explosive spread is promoted by striking biological properties.
Rats can make themselves surprisingly slim. Where the rat's head fits through, the entire brown rat always fits through. Sewer rats actually go everywhere because they can climb skillfully, dig excellently, swim and dive with endurance. They can swim for three days without a break just as easily as they can hold their breath for three minutes.
An exorbitant reproduction rate makes a significant contribution to the widespread spread in Germany. In a pack, the females are fertile and pregnant at the same time. Six to eight baby rats are born per litter per female. The offspring is independent within three weeks and sexually mature after three months. This results in frightening proliferation rates. A female produces up to 500 children and grandchildren per year. Experts have calculated a theoretical number of offspring of almost 2,000 animals per female per year. The only limiting factors are lack of food and targeted control measures.
Clicking on the video below provides an amazing insight into the secret world of brown rats.
Domestic rat in retreat - characteristics and lifestyle
The domestic rat has been making life difficult for people in Germany for more than 2,000 years. In direct comparison, domestic rats are a little narrower and lighter than stocky brown rats. Domestic rats have a pointier snout, larger ears and eyes, and a longer tail than sewer rats. More striking differences emerge with regard to the preferred residential location and preferred way of life.
Domestic rats prefer to have a roof over their heads, preferably in close proximity to people and their food supplies. A warm, dry place in the attic, in partition walls or in the basement is entirely to their liking. The rodents love climbing and are not afraid of a slippery supply pipe. The fur-bearers are rarely found outside. Rats in the garden are usually brown rats. In any case, sightings of domestic rats in Germany are now a rarity and for understandable reasons.
With the invasion of brown rats in Germany, the fate of the domestic rats was sealed. Today, the more robust sewer rats have massively displaced the population of domestic rats. In most federal states, the black rat is on the red list of endangered species. Since attics have been converted into living space and no longer serve as storage space, the habitat of domestic rats has been shrinking, which also plays into the hands of successful brown rats.
Excursus
Identifying rat species by their feces
The best pictures of wild rat species in Germany often turn out to be an identification dead end because the nocturnal, shy rodents do not show up. Most of the time it is just excrement that you see in the house and garden from nesting rats. The shape, color and size of rat feces are meaningful indicators for accurately distinguishing between the two large rat species. Brown rat feces are black, 1.5-3 cm long, spindle or cone-shaped with blunt ends. Feces from domestic rats brown to dark brown, 0.5 to 1.5 cm long and narrow, banana-shaped with comparatively pointed ends.
Colored rats – beautiful rat species as pets
Colored rats are the pets among rats
Colored rats have shaken off the reputation of dangerous pests. Their direct descent from the brown rat can hardly be seen in these bred beauties. Breeding-modified laboratory rats impress with their picturesque fur markings, gentle dispositions, loyal affection and can be easily trained. Furthermore, the cute rodents do not carry any pathogens with them. Breeds worth seeing make colored rats popular and sought-after pets. The following list gives an insight into the most beautiful drawings and color schemes:
Artistic Drawings
The modern colored rat is light years away from the dirty gray fur uniform of wild brown rats. Since targeted rat breeding began at the beginning of the 20th century, premium breeds have boasted artistic markings that leave nothing to be desired. The following variations are also confirmed by experts that the beauty does not come at the expense of animal welfare:
- Blazed: white blaze on the forehead
- Bareback: the head, neck, shoulders and chest are colored
- Hooded: head and shoulders colored, continuous stripe on the back down to the base of the tail
- Husky: white blaze on face up to neck, colored dorsal stripe, possibly colored flanks
- Irish: white spot on chest
- Variegated: colored head, colorfully spotted body on top and bottom
Distinctive colors
Parallel to aesthetic, species-appropriate drawings, color rats live up to their name with these popular color schemes:
- Agouti: grey-brown wild color, with each individual hair darker at the tip and lighter towards the body
- Cinnamon: light brown to cinnamon colored in different patterns
- Pearl: light silver
- Siamese: beige basic tone, dark nose, ears, legs and tail, similar to a Siamese cat
- Topaz: golden orange coloring
Not to be forgotten are albino colored rats, which do not have any color pigmentation or markings. If you want solid-colored rat species as a pet, you should look out for self-colored or solid-colored rats that come in black, cream, English blue or coffee brown.
Tip
The really large rat species live in tropical regions. In 2007, a giant rat was discovered in New Guinea, measuring an impressive 82 centimeters in size and weighing a whopping 1,500 grams. African giant hamster rats (Cricetomys) think: “There’s still something possible” and reach a length of up to 90 centimeters and a heavy weight of 2500 grams.
Frequently asked questions
Why is the muskrat missing from the list of rat species in Germany?
The muskrat – despite its name – is actually not a rat at all
With a stocky build, dark fur color and long tail, the muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) looks very similar to a large brown rat. From a zoological point of view, however, it is not a rat, but a vole. Muskrats live primarily in flowing and still waters, feed on reeds and bank plants, avoid proximity to humans and are not carriers of disease.
What species of rats are there worldwide?
The rat genus has 66 species worldwide, divided into 6 groups. The norvegicus group includes the rat species brown rat, Himalayan rat and Central Asian rat. The Pacific rat is listed in the exulans group. The extensive rattus group includes, among others, domestic rats, rice field rats and the widespread Asian domestic rats. Rat species primarily native to Australia are listed in the fuscipus group. The leucopus group includes rat species that live on New Guinea and neighboring islands. Rat species endemic to Sulawesi and adjacent islands are recorded in the leucopus group.
How many rats are there in Germany?
Due to the lack of official rat statistics, various estimates are circulating. The numbers vary between one and four rats per inhabitant. In the worst case scenario, there will be 350 million rats in Germany. Of these, around 95 percent are brown rats and 5 percent are domestic rats. There are also colored rats that are kept as pets.
Tip
The two large rat species in Germany are dangerous carriers of disease. According to the Infection Protection Act, there is an obligation to report rat infestations in the garden and house. The sighting of a single brown rat or domestic rat means that property owners, property managers and tenants are legally obliged to report the matter, and failure to do so is punishable as an administrative offense.
