Roof Rats And Pack Rats

The species found in arizona is the white throat wood rat also known as woodrat and new world rat.

Roof rats and pack rats.

Roof rats usually prefer to nest in the attic of a home or office building but can also be found in trees garbage piles construction sites and many other areas. Also known as a wood rat a pack rat is more commonly found within central arizona desert regions. Like all rats roof rats can transmit many diseases as well as contaminating. It consists of shoots twigs and green vegetation.

Pack rats on the other hand are not considered true rats as they belong to the neotoma genus they are a different species. There are over 20 species of pack rats from the arctic to central america. Roof rats threaten natural habitats because they feed on many of native birds and insects. There are three main types of pack rats within central arizona homes including the whitethroat pack rat mexican pack rat and stephen s pack rat.

They also devour a variety of crops including cereals sugar cane coconuts cocoa oranges and coffee beans and any feed intended for cows swine chickens cats and dogs. They all carry diseases. Also known as black rats roof rats have black or dark brown colored fur with a lighter underside. Pack rats carry diseases including the plague and their dens and droppings are also a health hazard.

Pack rats from the us have a simpler more basic diet. Pack rats give birth to much smaller litters than other rats producing only two or three offspring at a time so in theory an infestation should be more manageable. While pack rats have a lot of traits and characteristics that make them stand out from other mice and rats when it comes to diseases all these rodents are very similar. Like all rats pack rats can transmit many diseases as well as contaminating food with their faeces saliva and urine and the parasites like mites and ticks that they carry with them.

A pack rat unlike most others has fur on the tail. Do pack rats carry diseases.