What range do rats commonly travel?

• A. 100 to 150 feet
• B. 10 to 20 feet
• C. 300 to 400 feet
• D. 500 to 600 feet

Answer: (A)

Rats tend to stay close to their nest and use nearby routes to forage, so their daily foraging trips are usually within a limited radius of about 100 to 150 feet from the harborage. This range reflects typical movement in many environments where food sources are nearby but not far away, allowing them to return to shelter efficiently. Distances like 10 to 20 feet are generally too short to account for the breadth of routes rats use, while ranges of 300–400 feet or 500–600 feet are larger than their common foraging patterns in most settings, unless conditions push them to expand their territory. Understanding this usual travel distance helps in planning effective trapping and baiting around known nest areas.