Do you have a rat problem? Most unfortunately, Norway rats typically live where humans live and especially love the urban areas where there is plenty to eat. If you have seen a Norway rat on your property or in your home, contact Covenant Wildlife Removal immediately.
Norway Rat Facts
Norway Rats go by several names, some you may have heard, and others you may not know. They are called the common rat, street rat, sewer rat, wharf rat, Hanover rat, Norwegian rat, and Parisian rat. The Norway rat is believed to have originated in China but can be found worldwide today.
Norway rats are brown or grayish with lighter bellies. As one of the largest of the rats, here are a few facts about these rats.
- Length: head and body can grow up to 11 inches.
- Tail length: Just shorter than the head and body length.
- Weight: between 5 and 17 ounces.
They have excellent hearing and a keen sense of smell. And that is a benefit to rats, as their vision is not so good. Although, interestingly enough, they can see colors.
Diet: Norway rats are omnivorous and will eat just about anything, which is why they thrive in urban settings.
Reproduction: Rats begin breeding at five weeks of age and will continue until two years old. Females are fertile approximately every three weeks and produce up to five litters per year. The pregnancy lasts about three weeks, and the litter size typically ranges from 6 to 20 babies. So, you see how you could end up with a full-blown infestation of rats in a brief time.
According to Wikipedia,
“Selective breeding of the Norway rat has produced the fancy rat (rats kept as pets), as well as the laboratory rat (rats used as model organisms in biological research).”
Yes, some people keep rats as pets. Since they are quite intelligent and highly trainable, they make good companions for some. But if you don’t fancy a rat as a pet (nice pun), please call the wildlife removal services of your Covenant Team.
Are Norway Rats Dangerous?
The answer here is yes, in several ways. Besides being filthy, rats can cause considerable damage to your home, putting you and your family in possible danger. Below are some of the issues they create. Chewing electrical wires causes shortages in power and may strike up electrical fires.
Damage to the Home
- Structural damage to your home includes using the house as a bathroom and a nest, and more. If they chew at the beams in the attic or flooring, you have a larger issue.
- Norway rats can chew through steel, concrete, aluminum, wood, and plastics with their razor-sharp teeth.
Food Contamination
When rats get into your food supply, they contaminate your foods with their shed fur, feces, and urine. Eating contaminated food with rat feces or urine can lead to a bacterial infection such as salmonella poisoning.
Rats Carry Dangerous Diseases
It’s no secret that rats carry dangerous diseases that can affect humans through their urine and feces, and the Norway rat is no exception. The most famous diseases transmitted by rats include leptospirosis, rat-bite fever, and Weil’s disease.
Rats Carry Fleas and Ticks
Fleas are attracted to ordinary pets like dogs and cats. This is one of the reasons why your pet can also get fleas when a rat infestation occurs. You sure don’t want that.
To avoid damage to your home and family, let the experts at Covenant Wildlife Removal come in and move them out.
Covenant Wildlife Removal Removes Norway Rats
This is where Covenant Wildlife Removal comes in to save the day. The most common way to remove Norway rats is to trap them. Poison is not recommended because it can die in the home and create a whole different issue. Additionally, the poison is dangerous around children and pets.
However, you need not worry about that. At Covenant Wildlife Removal, we will find the entry points and seal them up, remove the rats, and clean up after them. We are fully equipped and experienced at getting to the source of the problem and eradicating the wildlife.
Rat Removal Service includes:
- Trapping and Removal
- Clean Up
- Disinfection
- Odor Removal
- Repair of the area
Covenant Wildlife Removal is a top-rated local family-owned, full-service wildlife trapping, removal, and repair service. We can remove a Norway rat infestation before it becomes an extensive problem for you and your family.
Contact us or call 205-850-5760 to set up an inspection.