Norway rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
Rat Biology
The adult Norway rat has a combined head and body length of 7 to 9½”. They typically weigh around 7 to 18 ounces. Their fur is coarse, shaggy, and brown with scattered black hairs; their undersides are gray or yellowish-white. Norway rats are highly prolific breeders. Norway rat pregnancy only lasts around 21 to 25 days. A mother can produce litters containing between 2 to 14 offspring up to 6 times a year.
Rat Behavior
Norway rats are nocturnal and highly cautious. Although they constantly explore their surroundings, they tend to shy away from changes in their familiar environment. Outdoors, Norway rats prefer to nest in burrows in the soil near water and shelter like root systems or rocks. Inside, Norway rats make small nests out of paper and garbage and prefer living in dark, secluded places.
Rat Concerns
Rats cause millions of dollars’ worth of damage to homes and businesses each year. Rats love to chew on electrical wires. Twenty percent of all home fires with unknown origins are generally attributed to rodents like rats chewing through electrical wires. Rats have been known carriers of Leptospirosis, Histoplasmosis, and Salmonellosis. Many of these diseases are very serious and some can even be fatal to humans.
Rat Control
First, Huntsman Wildlife Professionals will identify the access points where rats are getting into your home. We’ll make small repairs to seal up access points ourselves and recommend how to repair the larger ones. Then, we’ll strategically set up trapping stations in rat territories where they’ll be as effective as possible. Our rat trapping can be a one time fee for a little as $215 or start as low as $35 a month for our Rodent Protection Plan for up to a 2,000 square foot home.