December 13th, 2022
For centuries, rats have been a nuisance. As uninvited guests in homes, they eat your food while spreading diseases and destroying property. These pesky creatures can easily sneak into your home by squeezing through crevices or chewing holes through softened wooden doors and walls.
About 14.8 million of the 124 million occupied homes in America report rodent sightings. With the onset of winter, home invasions are likely to be on the rise, which increases the need for exterminating rats. Here is an in-depth guide on rats’ traits, their dangers, and how to get rid of them in the winter.
The term “rat” is derived from the genus Rattus, referring to medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. If you have a rat problem, you’re probably dealing with a Norway rat. Sometimes called brown or sewer rats, this rat species has adapted quite well to thrive in a human-dominated society.
Other rodent species common in North America include:
Here is a complete guide on how to identify a Norway rat correctly.
The Norway rat is a large, stocky member of the rat family, reaching about 16 inches (40 centimeters) in length from the nose to the tail tip. These rats have coarse fur, usually dark gray or brown, with a lighter tone on their underbelly. Adult males weigh about 350 grams, while females weigh 250 grams. Their eyes are shiny, black, and smaller than other rodents. They also have short ears that don’t cover their eyes when pulled down.
A Norway rat’s tail is cylindrical, tapering, and lacking fur, with hair growing from distinct ridges found on the entire length of the tail. Since a Norway rat’s tail is shorter than its body length, you can distinguish it from a roof rat with a long tail.
Norway rats are pervasive creatures living in different temperature zones and climates. Native to central Asia and China, Norway rats were introduced to North America during international trade in the 18th century. The Norway rat originally lived in forests and bushy areas but has adapted to human settlements.
Norway rats prefer warm locations that provide adequate water and food. The rats make extensive burrow networks underground with chambers full of insulation material for nesting and storing food. In cities, Norway rats live around sewers, garbage dumps, and shipping docks, while on farms, they live near grain-storing areas, such as silos.
The brown rat is an omnivore, able to eat grains, nuts, vegetables, and meat. Norway rats use their superior sense of touch and smell to forage for food and consume an average of 30 grams of food every day. Therefore, bait stations with rat poisons may run out quickly unless you’ve employed the top rat control services.
Norway rats have a polygynandrous mating system, where males and females have multiple partners. Female rats reach sexual maturity earlier than the males to allow bigger, dominant male rats to mate with them. Breeding occurs mainly in the warmer months, with the average female rat giving birth to about seven litters a year.
During a female rat’s six-hour estrous cycle, she may mate about 500 times with several competing males to increase the chances of becoming pregnant. After a short gestation period lasting 22 to 24 days, the female gives birth to a litter of about eight pups.
Winter is difficult for Norway rats due to food scarcity and low temperatures. In an urban environment, rats seek homes with suitable shelter that provides warmth, away from snow and predators. Once inside your home, Norway rats quickly establish a nest in dark, secluded places like the attic and basement. Beware of roof rats and frozen rat bait if trying to eliminate rats in the winter.
When left unchecked, the rat population can become a dangerous infestation. Rodents gnaw on wood, plastic, fabric, and paper, causing extensive damage to your property. These pesky pests can also cause house fires by chewing on electrical cables and exposing the bare wires. The exposed wires can become hot, igniting any flammable material that comes into contact with them.
Rats in your home pose a health hazard. They can spread diseases directly or indirectly to humans through their urine, feces, or bites. Common examples of rat-transmitted diseases include:
The best way to prevent a rat infestation is to rodent-proof your house. In case they gain entry, you can use snap traps or rat baits or otherwise kill rats to reduce their population in your Phoenix home. However, this do-it-yourself tactic doesn’t account for dead rats in hard-to-reach places such as between the walls. A dead rat produces an awful smell, taking several weeks before the carcass dries.
Rats are also intelligent and adaptable creatures that can learn to evade your traps and attempts at rat removal. Let the rat control experts at Budget Brothers safely handle your rat invasion and get rid of rats quickly.
Once you have identified the rat species invading your home, you can take appropriate measures to get rid of them. Exterminating rats safeguards you against serious health risks and unwarranted property damage. Are you ready to eliminate your rat populations? Contact Budget Brothers Termite & Pest today for a hassle-free experience in pest elimination for your home or business.
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