How Identify A Key Largo Roof Rat

Its forefeet are white to the wrist and hindfeet are white to the ankles.

How identify a key largo roof rat. The isolated population in key largo. The eastern woodrat neotoma floridana also known as the florida woodrat or bush rat is a pack rat native to the central and eastern united states it constructs large dens that may serve as nests for many generations and stores food in outlying caches for the winter. Look for and block entryways under sinks near washers dryers dishwashers hot water heaters. Woodrats typically excavate humus at the base of a tree to build their large stick nests which can be 1 2 m in height and 2 to 2 5 m in diameter.

Always shut doors when exiting your home. Their tails are shorter than their bodies and they are usually covered in scales as are their ears. While widespread and not uncommon it has declined or disappeared in several areas. It s usually easy to tell them apart from roof rats especially by the shape of their droppings which are not only capsule shaped but also much larger than those of roof rats.

The mitochondrial dna of key largo woodrats is distinct by at least 0 6 from that of the most similar subspecies the florida woodrat neotoma floridana floridana from further north in florida but members of that subspecies differ about as much from each other as from the key largo woodrat. The roof rat has a long tail which is longer than the combined length of the head and body. You can do some simple landscaping to prevent roof rats from gaining entry to your home. The key largo woodrat like other members of the genus neotoma is known for its habit of building large stick nests brown 1978b.

Effects of weather on rats. And rattus rattus being the roof rat. Look closely in areas such as your attic garage and patio. If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head.

This species of woodrat has a brown and black back with a reddish brown tint on its sides and a short tail that is brown on top and white on the bottom florida natural areas inventory 2001. If you suspect that you might have a roof rat take a tour around your property and look for potential nesting spots. The fur of roof rat is smooth while the fur of the norway rat is rough and shaggy. The key largo woodrat neotoma floridana smalli is a nocturnal 7 9 ounce rodent that is reddish above cinnamon on the sides and has a cream or white belly coloration.

They like to nest above ground compared to other types of rats that nest underground in burrows.