The Norway Rat

The Norway rat is common in most parts of the UK. Rats attack the food of man in the farm fields, orchards, and livestock facilities, during its processing, storage and transport, and while it is in our supermarkets, restaurants and homes.

What rats do not eat, they spoil by contaminating it with their urine, faeces or fur. It is estimated that rats and mice destroy enough food each year to feed 200 million people.

Norway Rat Questions & Answers

What does a Norway rat look like?

The Norway rat has a stocky body weighing 200 to 500 grams. It is covered in coarse body hair and is reddish to grayish brown with buff-white under parts. It has a blunt nose and its scaly tail is shorter than the head and body combined.

Do Norway rats cause damage and are they hazardous to humans?

Rats are known to be a source of numerous diseases affecting man, such as the Plague and Murine Typhus. Rats contaminate food and cause extensive damage to buildings and equipment In houses, granaries, restaurants and other areas they inhabit. Rats are able to gnaw through wood, electrical wires, and even unfinished concrete.

Where are Norway rats most common?

Rats are a pest that is found year round. They often live outdoors and then migrate inside when cool weather approaches.

When am I most likely to see Norway rats?

Rats are a nocturnal animal, meaning they are most active in the night. If food and water are scarce, or in the case of large infestations, rats become active during the day.

Where do Norway rats build their nests?

Rats nest in any safe location where food and water are available such as under rubbish, between walls or between floors. Outdoors, they will burrow into the ground.

What are the breeding habits of the Norway rat?

Rats are mature 2 to 3 months after birth and have a gestation period of 22 days. 4 to 7 litters are common per year, and each litter will contain 8 to 12 young. The average life span of a rat is one year.

How can I tell if I have an infestation of Norway rats?

Rat droppings are a common indicator of the presence of rats. As well, gnaw marks, tracks, burrows, and greasy markings on walls are often evident.

What can I do to prevent an infestation of Norway rats?

Removal of food sources for rats is an important element of their control. As well, elimination to potential rat entry points and removal of rubbish and other potential nesting areas are essential.

If I have an infestation of Norway rats, what can I do to eliminate them?

Your local pest controller has products developed for the control of pests such as the Norway Rat. Depending on the severity of the infestation, a single control measure may not be effective and an Integrated Program conducted by an pest service technician will be required.

Preparation Guidelines for a Rat Control Treatment

1. Eliminate any food source and plug any holes or openings where rats may gain entry to the home.
2. If the rats are in the cupboards or closets, these areas should be cleared out so that control measures can be installed.
3. Have children and pets out of the way when the service is being done.
4. A pest controller and may use glue boards, snap-traps, and live traps. These items are placed in areas that are as "out of the view" of residents as possible. If these devices are found, please do not move or touch them.
5. If rodenticide bait is used, It is placed In locked stations that are secured to the floor surface in areas that are accessible to children. Please do not move or touch these stations.
6. Your pest controller will return after the extermination has been completed to remove all baits and traps. This should be arranged prior to service.

Article provided by SDA Pest Control