Rats are the most dominant species of rodents on earth, belonging to the Rattus genus of the family Muridae. Lots of rat species exist in the planet. Most rodents are herbivorous, but some are omnivorous. Generally speaking, there are two basic types of rats, specifically roof rats (black) and Norway rats (brown). Both are believed to have originated in Asia and are now widely spread throughout the globe.
Black Rats
The black rats are sometimes called roof rats and ship rats, scientifically named Rattus Rattus. They are usually black, have a slender built, 16-21 cm long & weigh about 80-300 gram. Their nose and muzzle are pointed, and their tail is longer than the head and body. As the name suggest, roof rats are climbers. Their paws are built to climb and make nests in higher parts of dwellings, rafters, attics and crossbeams of buildings.
Barn Rat
The brown rat, which is also known as the Norway rat, house rat, gray rat, barn rat, & wharf rat, is the larger of the 2 mentioned here, and one of the best-known species. Rattus norvegicus is their scientific name. Their other name refers to their grayish-brown body, with a lighter colored stomach. A brown rat in full size is 18 to 26 cm long & weighs between 400 and 600 gm. Their tail is shorter than its body and their nose & muzzle are blunt. They prefer moist conditions and nest in deep burrows.
These rats breed when they are 3 - 4 months of age. They breed up to 13 times a year & produce 1 to 22 in a litter. Black rats & brown rats eat about the same things. Their diet mainly includes cereals, meats, seeds, nuts, grains, veggies, fruits and invertebrates. They consume about one-third of their weight in food every 24 hours.
They carry fatal diseases, damage structures and contaminate food. Some of the diseases potentially deadly to man that spread through rats are salmonella food poisoning, toxoplasmosis, Weil’s disease & plague.
Are you wondering about the importance of administering pest control measures in your home? Although you think that nothing will compel you to move, you might, someday, be selling your house because of some reason. Prospective buyers would definitely steer clear of any property that has marks of pest infestation; they know that a property infested with pests is a terrible investment. For example, even you yourself would be unhappy if the property you are aiming to buy is infested with termites. Also, if you are thinking about utilizing your house as a collateral for a loan, there is a higher likelihood that the lender would deny your loan application if they find pest infestation when they visually inspect your house. Thus, even if the fee to hire a professional pest control company to eliminate pest infestations in your house may be high, consider it a good investment for the future resale value of your house.
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