NORWAY RAT
Rattus norvegicus
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Appearance:
Norway rats are brownish and scattered black in color, but have a whitish gray underbelly. Their nose is blunt and their ears are small. The Norway rat’s tail is scaly, semi-naked, and shorter than the head and body combined. Their fur is shaggy.
Size:
Ranging from 13 to 18 inches in length (including tail), and weighing 11 or more ounces.
Behavior:
Norway rats will eat nearly any type of food, but they prefer high-quality foods such as meat and fresh grain. They require ½ to 1 ounce of water daily when feeding on dry foods, but less when moist food is available. Norway rats have a keen sense of taste, hearing, and smell; but have bad eyesight.
Habitat:
Norway rats live in close association with people. They burrow to make nests under buildings and other structures, beneath concrete slabs, around ponds, in garbage dumps, and at other locations where suitable food, water, and shelter are present. Although they can climb, Norway rats tend to inhabit the lower floors of multi-story buildings.
Medical and Economic Significance:
The Norway rat constitutes a menace to public health. They are known to be reservoirs of bubonic plague (transmitted to man by the bite of a flea or other insect), endemic typhus fever, rat bite fever, and a few other dreaded diseases.
Control:
Do you live in Florida and think that this rodent may be invading your home? Hulett Environmental Services offers the most advanced and effective rodent prevention and control services!
CLICK HERE now to schedule a free pest inspection with no obligation!
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