How Identify A Key Largo Roof Rat

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.

How identify a key largo roof rat.

Look for and block entryways under sinks near washers dryers dishwashers hot water heaters. The adult roof rat is about 7 10 inches long and weighs about 5 9 ounces. Look closely in areas such as your attic garage and patio. 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.

Its forefeet are white to the wrist and hindfeet are white to the ankles. You can do some simple landscaping to prevent roof rats from gaining entry to your home. If you suspect that you might have a roof rat take a tour around your property and look for potential nesting spots. The key largo woodrat is a midsized rodent that can reach a length of 12 16 inches 31 41 centimeters.

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. And rattus rattus being the roof rat. They like to nest above ground compared to other types of rats that nest underground in burrows.

The isolated population in key largo. Effects of weather on rats. 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. If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head.

Make sure all window screens are in good condition. 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. Always shut doors when exiting your home. The fur of roof rat is smooth while the fur of the norway rat is rough and shaggy.

The key largo woodrat like other members of the genus neotoma is known for its habit of building large stick nests brown 1978b.