Scientific Name: Rattus norvegicus
It is hard to believe, but a Norway rat can squeeze its large body through a hole that is a little bit bigger than a quarter. If you have pipes or electrical conduit entering your home and the space around the pipe is big enough, you could be sharing your breakfast with a big furry rat.
General Information:
Rats are serious vectors for disease. If they get into your food, it will become contaminated. If you eat the contaminated food, or come into contact with rats, you can contract rat-bite fever, salmonellosis, trichinosis, leptospirosis, bubonic plague and numerous other illnesses. Rat teeth are quite strong. Unlike our teeth, rat’s front teeth continuously grow. In order to keep them at the right length, they chew. They chew on everything. Rats can chew through cinderblock, wood, plastic, bricks, and aluminum. Norway rats are brown to grey and their tails are covered in scales. Rats will defend what they feel is their territory and will bite if they feel threatened.
Signs of an Infestation:
One of the best ways to know if you have an infestation of rats is to look for grease trails. Rats like to travel the same pathway. Overtime, they produce grease trails. There will also be rat droppings along these trails. Another sign is their chewing. You will notice chew marks on food containers. For some reason, rats are attracted to electrical wiring. It is common for them to begin chewing on wires. Norway rat nests can be in underground spaces, in your crawl space, debris piles, and wood piles. If there is a way into your home, they will find it.
Treatment:
The first thing to do is eliminate the rats that are in your home. When you call Pointe Pest Control that is exactly what our technicians will do. They come to your home ready to eliminate rats. Rats might be good at hiding, but we know how to find them. Once we have eliminated the rats, we will find the rat entry zones. Once we find out how they are getting inside, we can seal up your home and take more steps to keep your home free from future infestations. When you want the best in pest control, call the professionals with Pointe Pest Control.
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