What Do Rats Look Like?

Norway Rats And Their Appearance

The common rat, also known as the brown rat, sewer rat, Hanover rat, Swarf rat, Norwegian rat, or Norway rat, is a widespread species. It is one of the largest muroids and weighs between 140 grams and 500 grams. However, enormous brown rats can weigh between 900 grams to 1000 grams. Mostly these kinds are domestic specimens.

Norway rats have brown fur with black hairs scattered all over their coat. Underneath these hairs are lighter colours, with some rats having grey or white colours and others featuring even a yellow tone. They are very long, about 7 to 9.5 inches, and heavy-bodied with a blunt muzzle.

However, their tails are shorter than the total length of their heads, plus their body. Norway rats have small eyes and ears. When bred selectively, the brown rat has produced both fancy and laboratory domesticated rats.

Where Do Norway Rats Stay?

Norway rats prefer living in the company of humans. They thrive and multiply in big cities, burrow beneath constructions and buildings, hide in piles of wood, basements, attics, or sewers.

Signs Of Norway Rats Infestation

Norway rats are generally nocturnal, and you could barely see them during the day. The following could indicate signs of infestation:

• Burrows around your building.
• Grease stains and dark rub marks are probably from contact with grease or oils in pathways, buildings, or garages.
• Dug holes in areas like lawns.
• Droppings with blunt ends are usually capsule-shaped along their paths.
• Gnaws on furniture, wood, or chewed wires.

Damage By Norway Rats

Norway rats could cause great havoc in your homestead. Some of their effects, apart from causing diseases include:

• Gnawing through your furniture all over the house.
• Damaging your clothes.
• Not forgetting the unpleasant smell from their droppings.

Their droppings could also cause a lot of dirt besides being harmful to your health. Similarly, Norway rats reproduce so fast and could quickly increase their population under favourable conditions. This poses threats of infestation, and rat control should always be your concern.

How To Prevent Norway Rats

• Norway rats like hiding in piles of woods or piles of debris during the day. You should therefore keep these away from your house as far as possible.
• Properly seal any containers with food products.
• Seal or block any holes or burrows around your house. Their new spots are usually rough, while old ones become smoother due to frequent contact.
• Ensure proper containment of garbage and litter; always keep them in closed containers or far away from your house.
• Fix any leaks in your house and keep moisturised places such as pipes away.

What Do Roof Rats Look Like?

Roof rats are primarily known as fruit rats or house rats. Generally, these rats are usually light brown mixed with black. They have lighter colours, typically grey or black, underneath their coats. Black rats have smooth fur and a pointed muzzle. Their eyes are enormous, and they have large ears that cover over the eyes when pulled.

Their heads plus body could total up to 6 to 8 inches long while their tails are scaly and could be 7 to 10 inches long. Black rats are theoretically dangerous. Most of them weigh between 150 grams to 250 grams but could grow to 340 grams. Roof rats are slightly smaller than Norway rats.

Where Do Roof Rats Stay?

They mostly prefer living in bushes, trees, or areas with massive vegetation while outside. If they invade your house, you could find them on top of cupboards or cabinets, on the ceiling, in attics, and any high place.

Signs Of Roof Rats Infestation

• Destroyed coverings on electrical equipment and or plastics.
• Gnaw marks on household items, wood materials like furniture, and around the eaves of the roof.
• Damaged fruits.
• Unpleasant rat noises from the ceiling and or attic, mainly during the night.
• Their droppings (usually with pointed ends) along the baseboards.
• The remains of their nests in cabinets, ceiling, attics, etc.

Prevention Of Roof Rats

• Seal all holes and vents around your house with diamond mesh.
• Trim any branches of trees that hang over your home.
• Ensure that any access points on the roofs or roof lines are tightly closed.
• Caulk all the cracks and crevices on your walls.
• Store all the food products, including pet foods, in sealed containers.
• Ensure proper handling of leftovers and kitchen refuse.
• Keep the garbage in closed containers and exercise good sanitation.
• Clean your compound and dispose of fallen fruits or unused fruits.

Differences Between Norway Rats And Roof Rats

• Whereas Norway rats are heavily built, roof rats are thinner.
• Norway rats have round noses, while roof rats have pointed noses.
• The roof rat has a longer tail than their body, while a Norway rat has a shorter tail than their body.
• The roof rat has darker fur than the Norway rat, which is generally brown.
• Roof rats mostly live four feet above the ground and other higher levels, whereas Norway rats are not good at climbing and primarily reside in basements and low-level regions.
• Whereas roof rats prefer warm areas with more humidity, Norway rats prefer the exact opposite conditions.

Call A Rat Control Specialist

The chances of experiencing a rat problem could be high for anyone. Rats only look for favourable conditions such as shelter, food, and water. They have high rates of reproduction; thus, a large infestation could be a significant challenge. Rats cause a lot of mess in houses. They will gnaw through your walls, furniture, pipes, electrical wires, and so on. They will destroy your fruits, your food and even contaminate them.

Similarly, rats could cause diseases through their droppings and urine, posing a great danger to you, your family, and pets. You could always control and get rid of rat infestations by yourself, especially if it is small. However, if the infestation is a large one, it might be beyond you, and as such, you are better off if you seek professional help.

Always be on the lookout!