In older cities with colder climates, rats are more common, and Boston, New York, and Washington, D.C., are more likely to have rats. In Philadelphia, Norway, Rats are the most common rodent and are among the country’s most troublesome and destructive rodents. The Pest Control Technicians, Inc team, would like to share some fundamentals about Norway rats today.
Getting rid of rats burrows
Norway rats usually invade buildings to find food and water, and they may also do so when extreme weather conditions exist. When Norway rats search for food and a nest, they can cause excessive damage. It is essential to identify Norway rats and understand their behavior if you wish to rid your home of them.
Identifying rats
Norway rats are more significant and stockier than other rats. They weigh between 14 and 17 ounces and average about 17″ in length from the tail to the head; their tail is shorter than their bodies. Typically, Norway rats have brown or gray shaggy fur and have scale-covered ears and tails.
Norway rats are the most common rat species globally and are believed to have originated in Asia. Norway rats have blunt muzzles, smaller eyes, and smaller ears than other common rats. Furthermore, the tails of these rats are shorter than those of other scaly rodents. In addition to their coarse fur, they usually have black hairs scattered throughout their coloring and light gray or white undersides and feet. Average adult height and weight are 12 1 2 – 18 1 2 inches and 10 -11 344 ounces.
What are Norway rat burrows look like?
Norway rats can live outside just as comfortably as inside and are highly adaptable animals. They prefer dense vegetation because it provides cover and protection from predators, including spotted skunks, barn owls, and house cats. If they sneak into your home, they will settle on the ground floor, and if you have a basement, they will go there. The rats burrow under our buildings and sidewalks outside. Despite their ability to climb great heights, they prefer to stay on the ground and travel along power lines and rooftops.
Norway rats typically eat plant matter and animal matter. They prefer seeds and other vegetarian foods but occasionally eat garbage when food is scarce. Norway rats will eat young chicks and eggs in ranching and farming communities. They will also take down and consume lambs and young pigs if necessary.
Read More: What Attracts Crickets In The House? 19 Useful Methods To Get Rid Of Crickets From The House
Rat populations in Norway
At an alarming rate, Norway rats reproduce quickly. The gestation period lasts between 21 and 23 days, and the litters are typically seven pups, though females can have up to 14 puppies at a time. During the first 2-To four weeks of life, Norway Rats are highly dependent on their mothers to survive. Since babies are born hairless and blind, it usually takes them between 14 and 17 days before their eyes open. They don’t wean themselves from their mothers until around four weeks. The reproduction rate of Norway rats living outdoors slows down during the fall and winter months, whereas those residing indoors are more than capable of reproducing year-round.
Damage caused by Norway rats
Norway rats are very agile and can chew through a wide variety of materials, including plastic and lead pipes in a structure. In their quest for food, water, and nesting materials, these pests can cause costly damage to residential property. Regardless of the time of year, they are more likely to invade homes and businesses in the fall when food is harder to come by. Pests are social pests that band together during their daily habits, burrowing next to each other.
Destroying Rat Burrows
In addition to being able to damage your home or business, Norway rats are known to carry and transmit diseases such as rat-bite fever, jaundice, trichinosis, plague, cowpox virus, and salmonella. In addition to harboring fleas, Norway rats can spread diseases caused by fleas and infestations in homes and businesses.
What to do to prevent Norway rats in your home or business
Below we have compiled some preventative measures for you to take against Norway Rats.
- Install door sweeps on the exterior of your doors, repair any damaged screens on your doors and windows, and replace any decayed weather stripping.
- Install mesh vent covers and screen vents on the chimney and vents.
- Seal any cracks and holes on the outside of the home using caulk, steel wool, or a combination of both, including the areas where utilities and pipes enter. Inspect the windows, doors, siding, behind chimneys, and beneath the wood fascia for cracks and repair any.
- Take out the garbage regularly, store the outside trash can away from the house, and seal packaging made of plastics, cardboard, and paper.
- Attics, crawl spaces, and basements should be ventilated and kept dry.
- Inspect packages and secondhand furniture before bringing them into your home.
- Trim shrubs, cut them back 20 feet from the house, and store firewood at least 18 inches off the ground.
Controlling and removing rodents
Damage increases as the number of infestations increases. Among other things, Norway rats can be very costly to repair and carriers of endemic diseases such as typhus, rat-bite fever, and bubonic plague. Rodent control professionals from Pest Control Technicians, Inc. can assist you if you believe Norway rats are infesting your Philadelphia home. In addition to King Of Prussia, Norristown, and Plymouth Meeting, we also service the surrounding areas of Philadelphia.
Tips for Destroying rat Burrows
Generally, rats don’t travel more than 100-150 meters to find food. The food source is the source of the infestation, so if you remove it, the infestation will disappear. The decrease in infestation will prevent rats from digging burrows.
Ensure the storeroom is stocked with wood, firewood, crates, and lumber. As a result, the free spaces between them can become gathering places (caves).
Keep looking for more caves once you destroy one or more. Rats are intelligent animals. One or two nests or holes can be built elsewhere in the garden or house if a handful can escape. Take the time to search for tracks and traces whenever you can.
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