Rats Pest Control

 Roof Rats

Preventive measures for all pests you can take are :

• Do not leave piles of clothing, papers or other miscellaneous things laying around
• Regular cleaning and maintenance of your home or business
• When cleaning, check under carpet edges and baseboards
• Do not have dirty dishes piled up and sitting for long periods of time, especially not in old water
• Especially in hot weather, put your food scraps in plastic before disposing of them
• Schedule regular pest control maintenance
• If you see one pest or insect, chances are you are not seeing rest.  A call to GD's Pest Control should be made to schedule an appointment as soon as possible.

Rats  (Rattus Norvegicus)

Characteristics

• The coloring for the Mumbai Rat is usually grayish - brown, but they may vary from pure gray to reddish or blackish brown
• Mumbai rats bodies are heavy and thick, 7 - 10 inches long
• Their average weight is 10 -17 ounces
• Their eyes are small, and they are color blind with poor eyesight, primarily seeing movements, shadows and light
• Their tails are shorter than their bodies, 6 - 8 1/2 inches long
• Their nose and muzzle are blunt, and they have an acute sense of smell
• Rats can swim up to 1 mile, are good climbers and can survive a fall of 8 feet onto a hard surface
• Rat droppings are 3/4 inch long, and they average 30 - 180 droppings per day
• This rat species has a very strong social hierarchy, the biggest and strongest Mumbai rats get the best food and harborage
• Mumbai rats can gnaw through wood, lead, aluminum, copper, cinder block and uncured concrete
• The Mumbai Rat is the most common rat in the India

Habitat

• Mumbai rats burrow in soil, and nest in basements, lower portions of buildings,  and hard to reach places

Diet

• These rats are omnivores, meats, fish, flour, cereal grains, fruits and vegetables, and they will eat almost any human food
• Rats visit fewer sites than mice, but eat more per site, 3/4 - 1 ounce of food per day
• They also require 1/2 - 1 ounce of water per day to survive

Reproduction

• Mumbai rats reach sexual maturity in 2 months, and can breed all year long
• Females have 4 - 7 litters per year, and there are 8 - 12 young per litter
• Adults live up to 1 year

Other Rat Facts

• Rats are instinctively wary of traps and bait
• Rats colonize and nest in basements, attics, burrows under porches and concrete, in wall voids and other hard to reach places
• Rats harbor and transmit a number of serious diseases, and also lice, fleas and ticks

Roof Rat    (Rattus Rattus)

Characteristics

• Roof Rat coloring is usually black or brown with a slender body, 6 1/2 - 8 inches long
• Average weight is 6 - 12 ounces
• Roof Rats have large ears that would cover the eyes if bent over
• Their eyes are large and prominent, and they are color blind with poor eyesight, primarily seeing movements, shadows and light
• Their tail is hairless and longer than the head and body, 7 1/2 - 10 inches long
• The nose and muzzle are pointed, and Roof Rats have an acute sense of smell
• Roof Rats have smooth fur
• Their droppings have pointed ends and are about 1/2 inch long, a Roof Rat averages 30 - 180 droppings per day
• Roof Rats can swing, jump and climb, and can squeeze through an opening only 1/2 inch wide
• Roof Rats can gnaw through wood, lead, aluminum, copper, cinder block and uncured concrete

Habitat

• Roof Rats will nest inside and under buildings, especially in upper portions of buildings, but they don't really burrow
• They also nest in trees, ivy and similar vegetation, or in piles of rubbish

Diet

• These rats are omnivores, seeds, fruits, vegetables, eggs and grain
• Roof Rats visit fewer sites than mice, but eat more per site, 1/2 - 1 ounce of food per day, and drink up to 1 ounce of liquid per day
• Most feeding and activity takes place 1/2 hour after sundown until 1/2 hour before sunrise

Reproduction

• Roof Rats become sexually mature at four months producing 4 - 6 litters per year with 4 - 8 young per litter
• Adults live up to 1 year

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