Did you know that the Norway rat is the largest commensal (def’n: living with, on, or in another, without injury to either) rodent in the US?
Norway rats enter homes in the fall when food sources outside of a structure are scarce.
Identification
- Usually gray in color
- Smaller eyes and ears
- Tail is short relative to the head and body
- Droppings are 3/4 inch and blunt on the ends
Environment
- Can exist in large numbers in and around residences, basements, stores, warehouses, docks, sewers, or dumpsters
- Outside of a structure they can be found in fields, farm land, and wood piles
- Burrow to make nests under buildings, beneath concrete slabs, around ponds, in and around garbage and other locations suitable for food, water, and shelter
- Nests may be lined with shredded paper, cloth or other fibrous materials
- Usually become active at dusk to begin seeking water and food
- Eats nearly any type of food but prefers a nutritionally balanced diet, consisting of cereal grain, meats, fish, nuts, and some fruits
Threats
- Likes to burrow and can form extensive galleries
- Have litters of 6 to 12 young that can eat solid food within 2 to 3 weeks
- Young become completely independent at about 4 weeks and reach reproductive maturity as early as 3 months
- Can enter a structure through an opening the size of a quarter
- Can chew through wiring, causing fire
- Spread numerous diseases
Treatment
- Traps placed indoors near entrance points and known runways
- Burrows outdoors may be baited
- Exterior bait stations may be placed on the perimeter of the structure
For rat control or other animal removal services, call Northwest Exterminating. Our Wildlife Control and Animal Removal Services team will inspect your home and property for signs of wildlife and points of entry. We specialize in the exclusion, removal, and control of wildlife nuisances.