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Rat Varieties
One of the most common rat varieties is the roof rat. These rodents entered North America on ships from Asia and are also commonly known as ship rats. They prefer to dwell in elevated areas and inhabit the rafters and roofs of houses. They may also live between floors inside structures. Roof rats are black in appearance and have tails as long as their bodies. Roof rats have less hair than most other species and are sometimes described as naked rats. These rats carry a variety of diseases and infestations should be exterminated through professional means.
The Norway rat is another rat variety common to North America. These rodents are terrestrial in nature and burrow beneath the earth to build their nests. While the body of the roof rat tends to be slender and long, Norway rats are large and rotund. They range in color from brown to gray and are covered in coarse fur. Norway rats leave grease marks on walls and floorboards with which they come into contact. Norway rats also transmit diseases and parasites.
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