Roof rats prefer to feed on fruits, nuts, ivy, and pet food commonly found in residential areas. It is generally found in agricultural areas, creeks, sewers, and occasionally in developed neighborhoods. The Norway rat is larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. The eyes and ears are smaller than the roof rat and the tail is shorter than the combined head and body length. This species usually lives in underground burrows, and feeds on garbage, meat scraps, cereal grains and vegetables.
Wood rats are pale buff, gray, or reddish brown, with white undersides and feet.
They have relatively large ears and, usually, hairy or bushy tails. Basically nocturnal and vegetarian, wood rats live in nests built of plant material, such as twigs or branches. The nest is placed in a tree or on the ground. Wood rats are commonly called pack, or trade, rats because they collect various bits of material to deposit in their dens. House mice are dusky gray in color, average 2.5 to 3.5 inches in body length and resemble miniature roof rats.