Roof rats (Rattus rattus) are usually gray to slightly brown in color. Adults are typically 8 inches long, with a 9 inch long tail. The tail is long, dark, and scaly. Roof rats get their name because they spend about 90% of their time above ground. They live in trees, run on power lines, the tops of fences, and love to set up shop in attics. They live within a range of 300–500 feet, frequenting sometimes several homes in a neighborhood. Like the house mouse, roof rats are also nocturnal. Females have 4-6 litters per year, with 6-8 young per litter. They are fully weaned within a month, and sexually mature in as little as two months. After three months of life, they are independent and on their own. They seldom live more than a year.