Is this a wild rat? (Warning pic of dead rat)

[workindog]

Been dealing with rats that have made their home by our dumpster. Finally caught one last night but, it looks like a pet rat to me. Or possibly a hybrid? Has anyone seen a wild rat with this much white?

I know ive seen solid brown ones. Never seen this one running around. I feel kind of bad if it was a pet but they carry ticks and my kids and pets are what I worry about

 

[Sneebsey]

Pet rats escape/get abandoned, become part of wild populations, and there are 'sports' where a gene mutates. There's a load of black wild rabbits where we live, either from a released pet rabbit or a genetic mutation, who knows.

If it's digging in your dumpster, anyway, it's probably not a pet.

 

[sebloc]

I've been having problems with rats as well. Ours are really small though, and grayish. Ours have white on their underside too. Not sure how to get rid of them now. Definitely recommend killing them off before the population expands.