Brown Rat (an introduced pest)

◾    Body - 18 to 25.5cm in length, weighing 200 to 480g. Covered with a shaggy, bristly coat of grey/brown fur, with a grey or white underbelly.

◾    Head - Blunt muzzle with long whiskers. Medium ears. One pair of chisel-shaped incisor teeth with a hard yellow enamel on the front surface.

◾    Tail -Short scaly tail measuring 15 to 21.5cm. This is shorter than the body.

◾    General - Nocturnal, but still seen during the day. Lives under bushes, in sewers and other urban sites, or constructs deep burrow systems. Makes its nest out of shredded materials.

Black Rat (an introduced pest)

◾    Body - 16.5 to 20.5 in length, weighing 95 to 340g. Covered with a sleek, smooth coat of charcoal grey, black, or light brown fur, with a cream or white underbelly.

◾    Head - Adults have a long pointed head. Large, thin ears measuring 2 or more centimetres can reach to the middle of the eye when folded over. One pair of chisel-shaped incisors teeth with a hard yellow enamel on the front surface.

◾    Tail - Scaly tail measuring 18.5 to 25.5cm. This is much longer than the body.

◾    General - Nocturnal, but still seen during the day. Prefers to live in roofs, wall cavities and burrows around farms, often making its nest out of shredded materials. A very agile climber.