Asian house rat
This is a common household rat. An alien species, it has a broad global distribution. This medium-sized rodent weighs 70-200 grams and appears similar to the lesser rice-field rat. Its dorsal pelage is tan. The tail is dark on both the dorsal and ventral sides with a length greater than the body length. The hairs on the abdomen are rust gold. These two characteristics distinguish it from the lesser rice-field rat. In Taiwan, Asian house rats mainly inhabit artificial structures and are seldom seen in the wild. They survive on flowers, fruits, seeds, and human food, preferring plant-based foods. They are adept at climbing walls, water pipes, and wires and often noisily move around in the ceiling. As such, they are also known as “roof rats.”
Text/Chen Yan-Jun, Chen Mu-Xuan
Photo/Huang Xiao-Ting
