10 biggest rats in the world

Rats are arguably one of the most abundant rodents around the world and are found almost everywhere humans are, with the exception of Antarctica, which is too cold for them. Often classified as a pest, they are very adaptable and can live in a wide variety of habitats, including swamps, rainforests, and fields. Over 60 species are bound to have a range of sizes, with an average body size of 5 inches (excluding tail), but some can be much, much larger. But how big can they get? Here we have listed the 10 largest rats in the world by body size.

# 10: Tanezumi Rat

The first rat on our list is the Tanezumi rat, also sometimes called the Asian rat, and has a body size of 8.25 inches excluding its tail. The Tanezumi rat, found predominantly in Asia, is closely related to the common black rat and has a similar appearance with dark brown fur. Although they are common in cities, they are usually associated with the destruction of the crops of bananas, coconuts and rice, with rice being their main diet in agricultural areas.

# 9: Red Spiny Rat

The red spiny rat is only slightly larger than the Tanezumi rat, reaching a maximum size of 8.26 inches, and is commonly found in woodland habitats where it eats fruits, plants, and insects. They are widespread in Asia, including Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar, and China. Red spiny rats have a distinctive reddish-brown fur and a much lighter belly, which is usually white or pale yellow in color. They also have “thorns” on their backs, which is where they get their name. These spikes are coarse hairs that protrude from the rest of the coat.

# 8: Bush-tailed Forest Rat

The bushy-tailed tree rat, also known as the pakrat, is easily distinguished by its unusually bushy tail, which is similar to that of a squirrel, unlike the hairless tails that most other rats have. They grow to a body length of about 8.7 inches and are usually brown in color with white bellies and paws, and their ears are also much rounder than those of other rats. Although they prefer rocky areas, bushy-tailed forest rats are extremely adaptable and can live in both forests and deserts, and can climb as well. They are native to the United States and are found in the western regions of North America as well as parts of Canada.

# 7: Small Bandicoot Rat

Despite its name, the little bandicoot rat is not actually related to the bandicoot, a marsupial from Australia. Instead, these large rodents are found throughout South Asia, including India and Sri Lanka, and grow to 9.85 inches in length. They are best known for their grunts when attacked or excited, which have been compared to the growl of a pig. Small bandicoot rats are quite aggressive animals, especially when threatened, and, in addition to grunting, they have long guard hairs on their backs that stand on end to make them look more intimidating. They live underground in burrows, usually in or near farmland, and are classified as pests because they are extremely harmful to crops.

# 6: brown rat

The brown rat, also known as the common rat or sometimes the street or sewer rat, is one of the most common rat species around the world. Originating in China, they are now found everywhere except Antarctica and are largely classified as pests. Although called brown rats, they can be dark gray and can reach a body size of 11 inches with a tail that is only slightly shorter than its length. They are common in urban areas and will eat almost anything they find, from leftover food to small birds.

# 5: Mountain Giant Sea Rat

The Sunda giant mountain rat, also known as the Sumatran giant rat, is about 11.5 inches long, excluding its tail, which can be as long as 10 to 12 inches. Their natural habitat is forests high in the mountains of Indonesia and Malaysia. They are usually dark brown in color, but sometimes they have lighter brown spots and a layer of protective hair that acts as a protective layer and can repel water as well as protect it from the sun. The giant mountain rat Sunda, like most other rats, is omnivorous and feeds on insects and small birds, as well as plants and fruits.

# 4: Giant Cloud Rat of Northern Luzon

The northern Luzon giant cloud rat is endemic to Luzon, an island in the Philippines, and can reach body sizes up to 15 inches. They have a particularly unique appearance and don’t even look like rats at all – instead, they have long fur, small ears, and a bushy tail. They are usually black and white, but they can be in different shades of gray and sometimes completely white. What sets these rats apart from their counterparts is that they spend most of their time in the upper branches of trees in the rainforest. With large hind legs and long claws, they can climb and even give birth in tree hollows.

# 3: Bossavi Woolly Rat

Deep in the jungle, in the heart of Mount Bosavi, an extinct volcano in Papua New Guinea, lurks such a new species of rat that it doesn’t even have an official scientific name. Inside the crater, where the walls are half a mile high and the wildlife is virtually locked inside, is a species known only as the Bossavi woolly rat, which was discovered in 2009 while filming a wildlife documentary. This species had never been seen before until a 16-inch giant with such a long tail wandered into the camp again. The Bossavi Woolly Rat is dark gray or sometimes brown and has thick fur that gives it a woolly appearance. Little is known about them, but it is believed that they feed mainly on plants and vegetation.

# 2: Gambian Sour Rat

In second place is the Gambian rat with a pouch with a body size of 17 inches and an unusually long tail that can reach 18 inches in length. Also known as African giant marsupial rats, they are widespread throughout much of Africa, but are classified as invasive species in Florida after some pets escaped and subsequently began to breed. Their upper body is dark brown and their bellies are gray or white, and they also have a white tip on their tail. They have pouches on their cheeks, like hamsters, from where they get their name. They have a great sense of smell and have an organization in Tanzania that trains them to detect both landmines and tuberculosis.

# 1: Sumatran Bamboo Rat

The Sumatran Bamboo Rat is the largest rat in the world with a body size of 20 inches. These rats have unusually short tails compared to their body length (only 8 inches), making them smaller nose-to-tail than the Gambian Closed Rats, but larger in length and body weight (8.8 pounds). The Sumatran bamboo rat is found mainly in China, but also in Sumatra. These giants are usually dark brown, but sometimes gray, with small ears on a rather round head, short legs, and a bald tail. Sumatran bamboo rats prefer to live in burrows, rarely rising above the ground, and can eat plant roots using their burrow system to find food. As the name suggests, they feed mainly on bamboo but also sugarcane and are therefore considered pests due to the damage they cause to crops.