rat

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References & Edit History Quick Facts & Related Topics

Images & Videos

Europe's rising rat populations: Causes, effects, and solutions

The effects of biotin deficiencies in rats. Left, a rat fed on a biotin-deficient diet. Right, the same rat after three months on a diet with an adequate amount of biotin.

For Students

brown rat

Read Next

Two rats on a wood surface.

8 Interesting Facts About Rats

bird. pigeon. carrier pigeon or messenger pigeon, dove

Fightin’ Fauna: 6 Animals of War

White goat with blue sky. Farm animal

Which Animal Is the Smartest?

animal. Amphibian. Frog. Anura. Ranidae. Frog in grass.

Abundant Animals: The Most Numerous Organisms in the World

Working German Shepherd dog sniffing a suspecting package for drugs or explosives.

Working Like a Dog: 7 Animals with Jobs

Discover

Fish. Lionfish. Lion-fish. Turkey fish. Fire-fish. Red lionfish. Pterois volitans. Venomous fin spines. Coral reefs. Underwater. Ocean. Red lionfish swims by seaweed.

10 of the World’s Most Dangerous Fish

Stylish light blue jeans on wooden background, closeup of inset pocket

Why Do Jeans Have That Tiny Pocket?

Ice Sledge Hockey, Hockey Canada Cup, USA (left) vs Canada, 2009. UBC Thunderbird Arena, Vancouver, BC, competition site for Olympic ice hockey and Paralympic ice sledge hockey. Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, Vancouver Olympics

10 Best Hockey Players of All Time

Four year old boy with grandfather and father lighting Hanukkah menorah. Photo taken on: December 21st, 2009

Which Is Correct: Hanukkah or Chanukah?

Orange basketball on black background and with low key lighting. Homepage 2010, arts and entertainment, history and society

The 10 Greatest Basketball Players of All Time

Saint Lucia Day. Young girl wears Lucia crown (tinsel halo) with candles. Holds Saint Lucia Day currant laced saffron buns (lussekatter or Lucia's cats). Observed December 13 honor virgin martyr Santa Lucia (St. Lucy). Luciadagen, Christmas, Sweden

7 Winter Solstice Celebrations From Around the World

Panama Canal infographic

Timeline and Map of the Panama Canal

rat: References & Edit History

More Articles On This Topic

Assorted References

cause of infectious diseases
- In disease: Apparent and inapparent infection
cellular mechanisms in chemoreception
- In chemoreception: Signal transduction
classification
- In Muridae
- In rodent
flea parasitism
- In flea: Importance
hearing range
- In sound reception: Echolocation in bats
nutrition
- In nutrition: Changes in metabolic pathways within the cell
Trichinella spiralis
- In Trichinella spiralis

experimentation

animal behaviour and learning
- In animal behaviour: Instinctive learning
germfree life research
- In germfree life: Methodology.
learning
- In animal learning: Laws of associative learning
- In animal learning: Language learning

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

Guy Musser
Archbold Curator Emeritus Vertebrate Zoology and Mammalogy, American Museum of Natural History, New York City, U.S.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type	Description	Contributor	Date
	Add new Web site: Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry - Rats.	Gloria Lotha	Sep 28, 2024
	Add new Web site: New York State - Department of Health - Controlling the Rat - A Community Effort.	Gloria Lotha	May 03, 2024
	Add new Web site: Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education - Rats.	Gloria Lotha	Feb 23, 2024
	Add new Web site: National Library of Medicine - PubMed Central - The Laboratory Rat: Relating Its Age With Human's.	Aakanksha Gaur	Sep 07, 2022
	Add new Web site: PETA - Kids - 12 Fascinating Facts About Mice and Rats.	Aakanksha Gaur	Jan 27, 2017
	Add new Web site: OneKind - Rat.	Aakanksha Gaur	Jan 27, 2017
	Add new Web site: Easy Science for Kids - Rats and Their Different Types.	Aakanksha Gaur	Jan 27, 2017
	Add new Web site: Live Science - Facts About Rats.	Emily Rodriguez	Aug 25, 2016
	Added video.	Amy Tikkanen	Nov 26, 2014
	Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Rat Snake.	Gloria Lotha	Apr 28, 2014
	Add new Web site: A-Z Animals - Rat.	Gloria Lotha	Apr 28, 2014
	Add new Web site: University of California - Integrated Pest Management Program - Rats.	Surabhi Sinha	May 15, 2013
	Add new Web site: Buzzle.com - Rat.	Surabhi Sinha	May 15, 2013
	Geologic time data updated.	Richard Pallardy	Sep 15, 2009
	Media added.	Amy Tikkanen	Jan 09, 2009
	Added new Web site: Enchanted Learning - Rat.	Gloria Lotha	Mar 11, 2008
	Article revised.	The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica	Sep 27, 2002
	Article added to new online database.	The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica	Jul 23, 1999