Description
Rats are among the subfamilies Murinée, a branch of the family Muridae. The body weight of an adult ranges from 100 to 500 g.
The Rat Norway (Norway rat or brown rat) and the black rat is the largest species, has the following different kinds of voles (field mouse deer, fawn field mouse, field mice and rock striped field mouse field mouse or fields), field mice are more smaller than Norway rats and black rats and their shape approximates advantage mice. The majority of these species find their habitats in nature with the exception of mice that commonly haunts houses.
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Norway rat or brown rat
(Rattus norvegicus)
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Black rat
(Rattus rattus)
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Length without tail |
20-28cm |
16 - 23cm |
Tail |
17-23cm Slim, shorter than his body |
18-25 cm beefy, longer than its body |
Ears |
Small and covered with hair |
Wide and hairless |
Weight |
454 grams and more |
227 to 340 grams |
Snout |
Blunt |
Sharp |
Color |
Clear to see Grey brown reddish brown brown |
Dark brown gray-brown or gray-black, gray-white belly or white. |
Hair |
Soft |
Rough |
Reproduction |
All year |
All year |
Gestation time |
3 weeks |
3 weeks |
Number of small |
7-11 small |
5-10 small |
sexual maturity |
2 months |
4 months |
longevity |
2-3 years |
3-4 years |
Food |
Omnivorous, but prefers grains and other cereal, he needs to drink 10 ml of water per 100 grams |
Omnivorous, but prefers grains and other cereal, he needs to drink 10 ml of water per 100 grams |
Habitat |
talways close to water at ground level such as crawl spaces or the perimeters of buildings. |
attics, rafters, between rooftops, empty structures, etc.. |
Ability to climb |
can climb |
Very good jumper and climber |
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Behavior
The Norway rat and black rat are very gifted with faculties impressive adaptation, they can swim , climb, jump and run without problem, so it shows extremely careful when it discovers any new food. They are very wary and watch some bait for several days before eating just to taste a small amount to test the effect.
When and how the rats invaded our homes ?
Often intrusion rats in homes are in early autumn when the weather begins to cool . It seeps into the structures foundations, broken drains, roof, vent pipes, garage doors not closed . We observed increase in infiltration of rats in homes when there is major work in the streets (repair of sewers and pavement )
The ravages of rats in cities
Once inside , the rats were able to cut their teeth with the son phone , PVC piping , make holes in wooden walls and gypsum or materials with hardness less than the hardness of their teeth . This will cause severe damage to the structure and property of people and their health.
How to detect the presence of Rat ?
This is the first index that shows that there is an infestation of mice or rats. When they are soft , it shows a very recent infection ( within 3 days) .
Norway rat droppings (or brown rat ) is about 20 mm long, it is located on routes near the food source .
Black rat droppings about 15 mm long and is shaped like a banana.
Mouse droppings is 3 to 8 mm and an irregular shape.
Eating grains , rats leave behind relatively large crumbs eaten while mice leave smaller particles with sharp edges .
Traces urine become fluorescent if a UV lamp is used
The rats have a hole diameter of 6 to 8 cm and the mouse holes , 2 cm . These holes mostly found in thick bushes, often near the building foundation.
Prevention and control
- Start by inspecting the contour of the house in the early spring and fall to check the status of nets , ventilation outlets and dryer.
- Install a fence with mesh sizes smaller than 1 cm in all outputs ventilation , without impeding airflow ( seek advice from an expert in the event of doubt on the size).
- Install weather stripping in the front doors and garage doors and make sure they are tight .
- If you have a fireplace at home , make sure the door is locked. We had cases of infiltration rat , squirrel and bat through a door ajar fireplace.
- If you purchase merchandise wholesale, thoroughly check boxes first time it happens that mice infest homes and stores carrying them .
- It is always recommended to install a network preventive pest management in the most critical areas, it has a risk of infestation , or if your home or business is in an infested area .
- Before buying a property or renting a trade , carry parasitic inspection , which will avoid surprises in the future.