Dave Bevan / Juvenile Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) raiding a chicken nest in a barn, filmed at night using an infra red camera, Carmarthenshire, Wales, UK, December.

Sam Hobson / Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis), colour-ringed juvenile in flight, carrying remains of brown rat. Berlin, Germany. July. Nominated in the Melvita Nature Images Awards competition 2014.

Ernie Janes,Ernie Janes / Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) scavenging in bin. UK, May.

Mark Taylor / Young pet Rex rat.

Mark Taylor / Sphynx cat and Sphynx rat.

Mark Taylor / Baby Rex rat with Roborovski Hamster (Phodopus roborovskii).

Mark Taylor / Sphynx Rat.

Mark Taylor / Sphynx Rat.

Mark Taylor / Three baby Rex rats.

Mark Taylor / Two baby Rex rats.

Mark Taylor / Sphynx Rat with baby Rex rat grooming.

Mark Taylor / Tabby and white kitten and baby rat.

Mark Taylor / Three baby Rex rats.

Jane Burton / Female Himalayan Rat (Rattus norvegicus) with babies, 5 weeks, against white background

Jane Burton / Female Himalayan Rat (Rattus norvegicus) with babies, 5 weeks, against white background

Jane Burton / Female Himalayan Rat (Rattus norvegicus) with baby, 5 weeks, against white background

Gary K. Smith / Domestic chickens outside snow covered coop on allotment, showing rat protection discs, England, January

Loic Poidevin / Red fox (Vulpes vulpes) with rat prey in mouth, walking across field with domestic cow in background, Vendee Marsh, West France

Martin Willis / Feral Cat (Felis catus) stalking Long-haired Rat (Rattus villosissimus) at night, Diamantina National Park, Queensland, Australia

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) feeding in a domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) in a domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) feeding in a domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) feeding in a domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands, June.

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) in a domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) standing on hind legs in domestic habitat. The Netherlands

Edwin Giesbers / Two Black Rat (Rattus rattus) in a domestic environment, one of which is feeding. Captive. The Netherlands, June.

Edwin Giesbers / Black Rat (Rattus rattus) in domestic environment. Captive. The Netherlands, June.

Jane Burton / Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus) tripoding

Jane Burton / Albino Rat {Rattus sp} tripoding

Jane Burton / Albino Rat {Rattus sp} sitting up to sniff the air

Jane Burton / White bellied black Rat {Rattus sp} sniffing the air.

Jane Burton / White bellied black Rat {Rattus sp} grooming her whiskers

Jane Burton / Two silver baby Rats {Rattus sp}, 5 weeks old

Jane Burton / White bellied black Rat {Rattus sp} tripoding

Jane Burton / Two Rats {Rattus sp} playing on a flower pot (the flowerpot is used as a nest box, the coloured wedges are for gnawing)

Jane Burton / Three Himalayan and one cream baby Rats {Rattus sp} 5-6 weeks old

Jane Burton / Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus)

Jane Burton / Himalayan Rat {Rattus sp} with her four babies, 1 day old

Jane Burton / Domestic Rat {Rattus sp} sitting alert

Jane Burton / Himalayan Rat {Rattus sp} with her newborn babies

Jane Burton / Vet nurse jabbing Agouti-hooded Rat {Rattus sp} with Ivermectin against skin mites, Model released

Jane Burton / Brown Hooded Rat {Rattus sp}

Jane Burton / Female Himalayan Rat {Rattus sp} with two of her 16 babies, 5-6 weeks

Jane Burton / Two chocolate baby Rats {Rattus sp}, 5 weeks old

Jane Burton / Agoutitame Rat {Rattus sp} washing his face and whiskers

Jane Burton / Two domestic Rats {Rattus sp} (the flowerpot is used as a nest box, the coloured wedges are for knawing)

Jane Burton / Clipping the front toe nails of an Agouti-hooded Rat {Rattus sp}, Model released

Jane Burton / Agouti tame Rat {Rattus sp} climbing in exercise wheel

Jane Burton / White bellied clack Rat {Rattus sp} washing her face

Jane Burton / Light Sussex hen {Gallus gallus domesticus} defending chicks from Common Rat {Rattus norvegicus}

Jane Burton / Domestic baby rat in a Father Christmas hat.

Jane Burton / Domestic Baby rat in a Father Christmas hat.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) hatching from eggs. Captive. Palmetto morph.

John Cancalosi / Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus), mother with newly laid eggs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) hatching from eggs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various morphotypes: ultramel, palmetto, Miami, tessera. Captive.

John Cancalosi / Corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus), native to South East USA, in various bred morphs. Captive.

Charlie Hamilton-James / Two Patterdale terriers, one with dead Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus) in mouth, part of pest control team ratting in city at night, Washington DC, USA. June.

Jack Dykinga / Crested caracara (Caracara plancus) in flooded field with a pack rat in its mouth, crouched ready to fly, Marana irrigated farm fields, Marana, Arizona, USA.