Roof Rat Picture

The roof rat rattus rattus linnaeus is smaller in size than the norway rat.

Roof rat picture.

Keep trees and shrubs trimmed away. Roof rats prefer to build their nests and live in dense cover and shadows of thick shrubbery vine covered trees power lines and. From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases. In dense populations these rodents will establish a social hierarchy wherein dominant males mate more than subordinate males.

Another difference is that the roof rat is more slender with a longer tail than the norway rat. They are usually about 15 inches long and have a long hairless tail that can be about 14 1 2 inches long. How to get rid of roof rats. Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered.

Step 1 in order to assess the severity of the rat problem and to get a better idea of where to bait and trap you will first need to perform a thorough inspection of the premises. Get rid of roof rats in four basic steps. Other identifying traits include their pointed noses hairless ears and dark fur with light colored underbellies. Roof rats typically weigh 5 to 10 ounces.

Their bodies are seven or eight inches in length though their bald scaly tails add up to ten more inches. They have light black to grey smooth fur on their bodies with off white to grey underbellies. The roof rat also called gray bellied rat white bellied rat alexandrine rat black rat and ship rat. Roof rat nests.

What you ll want to look for are any signs that the rats are present including droppings tracks gnaw marks burrows runways and rodent sounds. Roof rats are frequent visitors to yards and homes across the country. Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases. These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus.

Roof rats become sexually mature between two and five months producing four to six litters per year that consist of six to eight young each. See more ideas about roof rats rats rat look. Snapshot of the appearance and distribution of roof rats roof rats prevention. To prevent a roof rat infestation seal up any holes or cracks larger than a quarter with silicone caulk and be sure that all windows and vents are screened.