It made its way on trading ships into Europe during the middle ages. During the middle ages and modern times, this rat spread the Black Death and many other diseases. It spread disease through its fleas and its bite. The Norway rat prefers to live near people. There never were more of these rats in Norway than in other parts of Europe or Asia, but the name stuck.
Some science books say that it was first collected for scientific studies in Norway.
The Norway rat adapts very well to all places where people live. It is omnivorous and eats anything a person eats. It also eats insects, green plants, fruits, birds, rabbits, small snakes, mice, young pigs, soap, garbage, seeds, and grain. It kills chickens and eats their raw eggs. It gnaws paper, wood, plastic, and cloth.