Rodents


PHOTOGRAPHY OF SMALL MAMMALS FOR IDENTIFICATION

Most photos of small terrestrial mammals submitted to Canberra Nature Map for identification that were photographed in the Canberra suburban area are of a Black Rat (Rattus rattus).  The next most likely species is the House Mouse (Mus musculus). Outside the city, at present, photos of Black Rats outnumber all other small mammal photos combined. However you may have found something different.  Here are some tips for what to include in your photos to increase the potential for correct identification:

  • An image that is sharp, not blurry;
  • A scale;
  • A view of the whole animal (preferably stretched out if it is a carcass);
  • Views of every surface -  (not always possible but ideally this includes a profile of the head, good views of the ears, the belly, the pads on the hind feet, and a good view of the fur and  skin on the tail from below and above);
  • Views of the teeth; and
  • a count of the number of teats

Anti-coagulant poisoning is seen frequently.
Most rats seen about in daytime in southern areas of Australia are moribund due to baiting with anti-coagulant toxins such as Brodifacoum. As such they are attractive to birds such as owls and raptors, which are very sensitive to 2nd generation anti-coagulants such as Brodifacoum. 1st generation products such as Warfarin are less dangerous because they are metabolised more quickly by the victim. Moribund rats should be picked up under a towel, then humanely killed. All carcasses should be disposed of where animals cannot get them. A better approach is to rodent-proof food sources  such as chook feeders, hen houses, and compost containers; and to use traps rather than baits. New age 'deterrents' such as Ultra-sonic devices do not work.


Rodents

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Discussion

DonFletcher wrote:
7 hrs ago
Hi @MaartjeSevenster, Black Rats will eat almost anything but they quite like fruit and veggies. Living in the suburbs, we and various neighbours have chooks, so if I put a camera out, there are always rats. They travel between the backyards, eat the food that the chooks spill from the feeders, eat fruit on the trees, and raid any compost bins they can get into. In winter they have sometimes tried to set up house in our roofspace or below our floor. We once had one that learned to get into the kitchen and do some amazing jumps to get onto the bench, where it would sample the tomatoes and whatever was in the fruit bowl. It invested a lot of effort and risk to get that fruit.

Rattus rattus
7 hrs ago
Thanks @DonFletcher this one (and friend(s)) had taken up residence in our fruit and vegie enclosure and taken a liking to lettuce and apples. Which again confused me a bit, but I guess lately all mammals have had to eat whatever was available...

Rattus rattus
DonFletcher wrote:
8 hrs ago
Hi @MaartjeSevenster, thanks for your well positioned and comprehensive photos and especially for the measurements. The only Rattus in Australia with tail longer than head-body, as an adult, is Rattus rattus and it comes in a wide variety of fur colours so the common name Black Rat is highly misleading. Roof rat better reflets its commensalism and penchant for climbing, but it is also widespread in bushland where it preys on birds nests, which the Bush Rat does not. Fur colour of the two species overlaps.

Rattus rattus
JenniferS wrote:
6 Jun 2025
Oh right. Well, I’m hoping our other wildlife gets busy then. So the black rat can also be very brown? (These are not the slightest bit black).

Rattus rattus
6 Jun 2025
Both species have a large range of body size (which overlap). On average, bush rats are smaller than black rats.

Rattus rattus
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