Norway Rat 411

Not many people like rats, and nobody wants them in their house. Norway rats live everywhere outside and can enter your house at any time. Fortunately, this does not happen regularly. Generally, most Norway rat invasions happen during the fall season. This is not because of the cold weather outside, but because the plants and seeds on which these rodent pests feed outside are not available. Norway rats must then seek new sources of food. Unfortunately, one of such sources might be your home. Rats are exceptional climbers and can gain entry to your home through holes around pipe vents, wires entering your home, and through vents on your roof. Most garage doors also leave enough space for Norway rats to enter your home.

Norway Rat Characteristics

Color

A Norway rat is brown in color with black speckles. Their bellies are gray to yellowish-white.

Droppings

The droppings of an adult Norway rat are about 20 mm long. They are capsule-shaped.

Habitat

Norway rats are always prepared for danger. They burrow holes with secret emergency exits. They can build anywhere from under concrete to garbage piles and railroad ridges. Naturally, they are adapted to flat and dry grassy lands.

Food

Norway rats eat a wide range of foods. That does not they will eat anything, but they eat a lot of foods from dry dog food, fish, and meat. They tend to overeat and can consume a lot of food. These rodent pests will gnaw on anything in your house to get access to their food, even lead or plastic pipes.

Biology

The binge eating of Norway rats comes with a great deal of social time. They are social animals that can work together to get a lot of chances for food. Their pregnancy takes three weeks, and a female Norway rat can get three to six pregnancies per year. Each pregnancy produces seven to eight young ones. The newborns produce hair after a week and are for three to four weeks. They have excellent vision and very keen senses. Norway rats are color-blind, nocturnal, and love to travel around.

Damages

Norway rats gnaw on structures and objects, eat stored human and pet food, and spread diseases through mites and fleas in their fur, bites, urine, and droppings.

Invasion

Norway rats can invade your home by squeezing in openings as small as ½ inch.

Getting Rid of Norway Rats

Generally, the key to controlling Norway rats involves creating rodent-proof structures, eliminating their shelters, and sanitation. To identify Norway rats, look for burrows around your home. Tail-drag marks, footprints, droppings, and gnaw marks are signs that they have already entered your home.

Cleaning up debris will increase the chances of controlling the visiting rodents. Getting rid of Norway rat evidence allows examining of the invasion control. Removing excess storage and clutter allows the situation of control measures and the monitoring for population reduction. Elimination is a crucial aspect of rodent control in your home.

Hire a pest control professional to conduct a thorough inspection to identify the entry points and fix them. Preventing Norway rat entry into your home is the only way to accomplish long-term control in your home. Once you have repaired the entry points, you can use mechanical traps. Although rodenticides can be used, they are not recommended due to their potential health risks.