Typically, the type of common rats that people are used to seeing are the black rat. Rats are known to frequent abandoned buildings, dirty sewers, back alleys, garbage cans and refuse bins and in many urban areas of towns and cities. These rats are infamous for once spreading the bubonic plague throughout Europe. For this reason, black rats are one of the world’s most successful and widespread species, living anywhere that humans do, and still having the ability to spread and cause diseases.

A special type of rat indigenous to the Arizona are are roof rats. These rats are often lighter in coloring, but have the long telltale rat like tail trailing behind them. Roof rats, as the name implies, make their nests in Phoenix area attics, and can be found scurrying around residential roofs. These rats can be destructive and chew into areas to make a suitable nest for their young. These rats are a specialized rat that has adapted to the modern lifestyle of humans here in the desert.