Norway Rat

Identification

The Norway rat is the largest of the rats. Norway rats are 7 to 10 inches in length. Their tail is another 5 to 8 inches. It is a heavier rat that weights 7 to 20 ounces. Their hair is course, shaggy, brown with some black hairs and a lighter color on its stomach. Their nose is blunt and their eyes and ears are small. Their droppings are blunt, not pointed like the roof rat, and ¾ inch long.

Norway Rat

Norway Rat Droppings

Biology

The Norway rat has poor sight but a keen since of smell, taste, hearing, and touch. Female are sexually active in 2 to 5 months after birth. They can produce up to six litters a year, each averaging 5 to 8 offspring. Adult Norway rats can live from 6 to 12 months.

Norway Rat vs. Roof Rat

Habits

Rats and mice are nocturnal and do most of their feeding and moving at night. They are very cautious and skeptical of anything new in their environment. The Norway rat likes to nest in burrows in the ground, under decks, burrowed under separate slabs, next to buildings, under storage sheds, in debris and firewood around the home. They can get through a hole as small as a ½ inch. This makes it very easy for them to get into buildings and homes. They are not like the roof rat that likes to nest in high places; instead they like the lower levels in homes and buildings. Crawl spaces, basements, loading docks, sewers, behind tub traps, and around pipe areas in the wall are all areas that you can find the Norway rats.

The Norway rat feeds on meet, fish, cereals, and grains. They will forage for food and water for up to 170 feet from their nests. All rats are associated with various diseases. The plague which occurred several years ago, Leptospirosis, which is common today, is the contamination of food and water by rat droppings and urine. Rats cause serious damage to;

Insulation in attic,
Insulation wrapping around pipes.
Contaminate food and water.
Gnaw electrical lines.
Gnaw on wood and siding to get entry access to homes/structures.
Damage, cardboard, paper, and plastic
Carry mites, fleas, worms and diseases.
Damage crops and plants.
They can bite humans and pets.

Sanitation is the best preventive measure homeowners can do to cut the chances of infestation by the Norway rat. Keep trash cans sealed with tight fitting lids, store dog, cat, and bird seed in tamper proof containers, do not spread wildlife feed or seed around the home, keep fruits picked up around fruit trees, keep debris piles and firewood away from the home/structure.

Eliminating areas that rats and mice can enter or nest around the home will cut down infestations of mice and rats;

Seal all cracks and crevices around the home,
Make sure all doors are sealed at floor level,
Seal all holes around pipes and drains that enter or exit the home,
Keep all foliage off the home,
Keep wood piles and storage sheds away from the home,
Make sure garage doors seal completely when closed,
Keep debris away from the home and out of gutters,
Make sure there are no areas around the home that hold water,
Make sure all siding is secured tightly to the home,
Make sure all vents around crawl spaces have rodent proof screens.

Eliminate nesting and hiding places

A full inspection to identify the type of mouse or rodent is the first step in the control and treatment. After a complete inspection RP Lee Termite & Pest Control can provide you a program to rid your home/structure of mice and/or rodents. There are several control methods for mice and rodents. Glue boards, snap traps, poisons, and trapping and relocating are the most common methods available. Each method has its advantages and disadvantages.