What is the difference between Old World rats and other rats?

Rats are bigger than most Old World mice, which are their relatives, but seldom weigh over 500 grams ( 171⁄2 oz) in the wild. The term rat is also used in the names of other small mammals that are not true rats. Examples include the North American pack rats (aka wood rats ) and a number of species loosely called kangaroo rats.

What diseases do rats carry?

Rats are well-known carriers of diseases. They have been implicated in the spread of some 40 diseases, including the bubonic plague, typhus, and leptospirosis. For years it was believed that rats with plague-infested fleas caused the Black Death (1347–51), which killed an estimated 25 million people in Europe.

How do rats cause damage?

Rats are extremely destructive. Besides causing severe damage to your home's structure, rats can also eat their way through your home's wiring. This can cause a short, which could lead to a fire inside a wall. When they get in your personal items, they gnaw and chew constantly until they have destroyed everything in their path.