Rats are an increasingly prevalent pest in urban environments and can pose many threats to homeowners and their property, including damage to structures and food sources.
Norway and roof rats can both infiltrate homes, so knowing which species is causing issues is vital in finding ways to eliminate them.
Habitat
Roof rats prefer dense vegetation, fruit trees and dense brush as their habitat. Home with lush landscaping, large woodpiles or storage sheds can attract these vermin.
Seed-eating birds feed on various foods including seeds, nuts, fruits and berries when in season as well as slugs and snails.
Roof rats in the wild can do serious damage to agricultural crops and ornamental plantings by chewing through plant material, contaminating food supplies for animals, chewing wooden structures and tormenting nesting materials in walls and ceilings for nesting purposes. They can even tear insulation away for nesting purposes if allowed to do so.
Homeowners can deter roof rats from nesting on their property by keeping trees and plants well-groomed at least five feet from dwellings and using traps that mimic roof rats’ climbing abilities to catch any infestations that do arise. Traps should be strategically placed vertically near electrical wires or roof beams before being secured securely to ensure they don’t come tumbling down where children or pets could easily get to them.
Food
Roof rats are omnivorous animals and will feed on an array of foods such as fruits, nuts, seeds, acorns, grains and even some meats.
These rats are nocturnal and tend to spend most of their time nestled deep within an attic or other high locations of a home, foraging for food throughout the night and saving it until later when they’re hungry.
Rats aren’t particularly picky eaters and will devour any source of sustenance they find, including garbage, pet food and bird seed. Furthermore, their digestive processes cause them to damage more food than they consume – becoming an eyesore in both homes and businesses alike.
Roof rats can be very active creatures that travel long distances in search of food or water sources (up to 150 yards from their dens), using drainpipes, vents and gaps as transport. Once inside they will also bite or scratch to defend themselves and disease can spread through them such as Rat Bite Fever; so professional assistance should always be sought if an infestation exists.
Breeding
Roof rats breed according to environmental and food-source conditions; however, their reproductive activity typically peaks around two to five months of age and produce four or six litters with six to eight young each per year.
Females typically mate with multiple males over time – sometimes up to 40 different individuals during a season!
Roof rats build nests of leaves in trees or other locations above ground level to nest. When hungry, these rodents also enter buildings through tree branches or utility lines in search of food sources.
Bats are nocturnal animals that tend to be most active at night when searching for food, using their keen senses of hearing, smell, taste and touch to do so.
Roof rats are omnivores that consume a variety of foods. They particularly like eating citrus and avocado fruits. When feeding on mature oranges, roof rats typically make an entryway in the rind to access all of the contents in one go and leave only an empty shell hanging from a tree branch.
Behavior
Roof rats are highly adaptable animals, living in various environments and inhabiting various niches. Most roof rats are nocturnal, foraging for food at dusk and dawn.
These rodents are omnivores, eating everything from fruits and nuts to grains and seeds. Additionally, they tend to store up their food supplies within their homes.
Nocturnal rats live in colonies of 10-20. Female rats can produce four to six litters annually, each consisting of 6-8 young.
One rat typically consumes between 3/4 to 1 ounce of dry food and one ounce of water each day, reaching its maximum appetite and drive to find food after three or four days of starvation.
They can travel up to 300 feet for food and are adept at maintaining balance when traversing overhead utility lines or fence tops, using their tails for support. Furthermore, these rats move faster than Norway rats and possess agile climbing capabilities which enable them to quickly escape predators.