Fun Tanezumi Rat Facts For Kids

Gurpuneet Kaur
Oct 20, 2022 By Gurpuneet Kaur
Originally Published on Aug 06, 2021
Edited by Katherine Cook
Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao
Read these Tanesumi rat facts to learn about this species.
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Age: 3-18
Read time: 7.0 Min

A Tanezumi rat is a brown-colored rat from the class Mammalia. Its geographic range varies around the eastern, southeastern, and southern parts of the Asian continent.

This mammal is widespread and can be found in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Cocos Islands, China, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam.

This species (Rattus tanezumi) is said to be closely related to black rats and belongs to the group of rodents. It is an omnivore species and also a significant agricultural pest of crops, especially in the Philippines and Thailand.

The crops vary from maize, coconut to rice and banana. This rodent is also known as Asian house rat or Asian rat. The scientific name for this species of rat is Rattus tanezumi.

If the uniqueness of the Tanezumi rat makes you interested to read more about similar species, you can read about nutria facts and gopher facts.

Tanezumi Rat Interesting Facts

What type of animal is a Tanezumi rat?

The Tanezumi rat (Rattus tanezumi) is a species of rodent from the kingdom Animalia and the family of Muridae. It is also known as an Asian rat, house rat, or Asian house rat.

What class of animal does a Tanezumi rat belong to?

The species of rat (Rattus tanezumi) belongs to the order Rodentia, family Muridae. It is closely related to the black rat, a species of rodent, and is a part of the class of Mammals and phylum Chordata.

How many Tanezumi rats are there in the world?

Facts and figures regarding the population of Tanuzumi rats (Rattus tanezumi) from the family Muridae remain unknown. The conservation status of the Rattus species is highlighted as Least Concern under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, speculating that there is a considerable number of Tanezumi rats widespread in eastern, southern, and southeastern Asia.

Where does a Tanezumi rat live?

Tanezumi rats from the genus Rattus are recorded widespread in eastern, southern, and southeastern Asia. They are mainly found in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Cocos Islands, China, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam.

What is a Tanezumi rat's habitat?

The Tanezumi rat habitat ranges from urban to rural terrestrial areas. This species (Rattus tanezumi) from the family Muridae are recorded to prefer agricultural lands and other natural forest areas. It is an adaptive species and can have varying habitats.

Who do Tanezumi rats live with?

Tanezumi rats from the genus Rattus are said to live in variations of ecology with numerous species. The Asian house rat is said to be able to live live with lots of different species except its predators as it has an adaptive temperament.

How long does a Tanezumi rat live?

The life span of a Tanezumi rat (Rattus tanezumi) from the class of mammals is yet to be studied and researched. As a Tanezumi rat is closely related to black rats, black rats are speculated to have an average lifespan of 12 months.

How do they reproduce?

The breeding season of this species (Rattus tanezumi) varies where there are food crops cultivated, especially rice. The average litter size of a R. tanezumi ranges from three to 10 mice.

What is their conservation status?

According to the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, Tanezumi rats (R. tanezumi) are labeled under the category of Least Concern.

Tanezumi Rat Fun Facts

What do Tanezumi rats look like?

A Tanezumi rat is a medium-sized rat with a tail equivalent to the size of its head. These mammals have fur all over their bodies with a range of different shades of brown. The fur over its belly is recorded to be white in color. The tail of the rat is naked.

Common Rat

We've been unable to source an image of a Tanezumi rat and have used an image of a Common Rat instead. If you are able to provide us with a royalty-free image of a Tanezumi rat, we would be happy to credit you. Please contact us at hello@kidadl.com.

How cute are they?

The Tanezumi rat (Rattus tanezumi) from the family Muridae are of a very small size. There have been contradictory opinions over the cuteness of a rat. While some find species of mice cute due to their appearance, others don't like mice. The Rattus tanezumi is often found cute and attractive.

How do they communicate?

While there is no information recorded so far regarding the communication of a Tanezumi rat, it is speculated that they use ultrasounds, considering this species is closely related to black rats. Also, assumptions suggest that the Rattus tanezumi also uses gestures and movements to communicate within a group of similar species, unlike woodrats which communicate via urine odor.

How big is a Tanezumi rat?

The Tanezumi rat, a species of rodent, from the family of Muridae is recorded to have a body with a length of 8.6 in (22 cm). It is three times smaller than a pouched rat, which is considered one of the biggest rats.

How fast can a Tanezumi rat run?

The speed of a Tanezumi rat from the family Muridae is yet to be calculated. This species of rodents, Rattus tanezumi, have a considerable running speed. It is known to be a fast runner

How much does a Tanezumi rat weigh?

The weight of an Asian rat from the class of mammals is considered to have negligible weight when compared to the water rat. The exact weight is yet to be studied.

What are the male and female names of the species?

While there are no specific names assigned to the male and female species of Rattus tanezumi of the family Muridae based on sex, in general, male mice are called bucks, and female mice are called does. They can be called Tanezumi rat male and Tanezumi rat female.

What would you call a baby Tanezumi rat?

The baby of a Tanezumi rat does not have a specific name either. A baby of an Asian rat can be called a pup, infant, or kitten, just like the babies of other mice.

What do they eat?

An Asian house rat from the family Muridae is found to be an omnivorous species. This rat feeds on anything from farmyard waste to food scraps. The Tanezumi rat diet is not based on specific items, however rice is the a staple diet item of this species.

Are they dangerous?

While they do not possess any danger against humans, they are serious pests in and around cultivation lands, especially where rice is cultivated. They are not known to show  any aggressive behavior towards humans, unlike muskrats.

Would they make a good pet?

While rats are some of the most common species to be petted, there are no records that a Tanezumi rat from the genus Rattus has been petted. The rats from the genus Rattus are rodents but can be domesticated as they do not harm any human.

Did you know...

A Tanezumi rat group is often known as a colony, pack, plague, horde, or swarm. It belongs to the phylum Chordata.

This rat is said to harm agriculture as it is considered a serious pest. Its habitat is studied to range around agricultural areas and farms. This rat is one of the most widespread mammals throughout Asia.

A Tanezumi rat mainly feeds on rice and it is an omnivore, however it is different to a rice rat. The main concern is to prevent and control rodent damage to the crop.

The Tanezumi rat is neither Endangered nor at risk of being Endangered. It belongs to the group of rodents and is widespread around southern and eastern Asia in the world.

How did Tanezumi rats get their name?

There is no specific reason justifying the Tanezumi rat name. A Tanezumi rat is also called an Asian rat or Asian rat house due to its geographic range around the world.

This rat is located in Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Cocos Islands, China, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam, which are countries located in and around Asia.

What is the difference between a Tanezumi rat and a black rat?

A Tanezumi rat and a black rat belong to the kingdom of Animalia, phylum Chordata, and genus Rattus. A Tanezumi rat may be considered closely related to black rats but have hardly any characteristics in common.

While a black rat is black in color, an Asian house rat is brown in color.

A black rat is considerably large than an Asian house rat.

A black rat can be found from Massachusetts to British Columbia, while the range of a Tanezumi rat is more widespread and varies around the continent of Asia including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Cocos Islands, China, Fiji, Indonesia, India, Japan, North Korea, South Korea, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand, Taiwan, the Philippines, Laos, and Vietnam.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals from our black rat facts and naked mole rat facts pages.

You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable Tanezumi Rat coloring pages.

Tanezumi Rat Facts

What Did They Prey On?

Farmyard waste and food scraps

What Type of Animal were they?

Omnivore

Average Litter Size?

3-10

How Much Did They Weigh?

7 oz (200 g)

What habitat Do they Live In?

agricultural land and forests

Where Do They Live?

asia

How Long Were They?

8.6 in (22 cm)

How Tall Were They?

N/A

Class

Mammalia

Genus

Rattus

Family

Muridae

Scientific Name

Rattus tanezumi

What Do They Look Like?

Brown

Skin Type

Fur

What Are Their Main Threats?

humans and predators

What is their Conservation Status?

Least Concern
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Written by Gurpuneet Kaur

Bachelor of Arts specializing in Economics

Gurpuneet Kaur picture

Gurpuneet KaurBachelor of Arts specializing in Economics

As a skilled content writer, Gurpuneet has written and managed engaging content for multiple websites and companies. Driven by a passion for helping young people achieve their full potential, she brings a unique perspective to her work. She is currently pursuing a degree in Economics from Sri Guru Gobind Singh College Of Commerce. With extensive experience as a tutor, Gurpuneet has made a significant impact by providing guidance and academic support to students. Her dedication extends beyond tutoring as she has volunteered with Action India, where she offered medical assistance and educational aid to underprivileged communities. Additionally, Gurpuneet has contributed to the creation of student study guides for various educational agencies.

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Fact-checked by Pradhanya Rao

Bachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

Pradhanya Rao picture

Pradhanya RaoBachelor of Commerce specializing in Marketing and HR

With a Bachelor’s degree in Commerce from Christ University, Bangalore, Pradhanya's passion for the English language and literature led her to explore the field of content writing, where she has gained extensive experience in writing, reviewing, editing, and fact-checking. She has also earned certifications in Google Ads Search, Google Ads Display, and Social Media Marketing, showcasing her proficiency in digital marketing.

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