The Roof Rat
There are not many creatures out there that have earned their name twice. Scientifically the roof rat is known as Rattus rattus. That's kind of like being called Bill William.
These troublemakers have a sinister past, though. The roof rat spread Black Death, aka €The Plague€ back during the middle ages. Because of that, many folks call them black rats. Some of them are, but most likely you'll run across this rodent in a dark brown shade. About a foot to a foot-and-a-half long, quite a bit of it is their tail that stretches more than the rest of its body. And their ears - huge.
Your basic roof rat loves a warm climate. That's why they are partial to the Gulf coast states.
What you should know about roof rats are:
€ They are able to spread diseases like typhus and the bubonic plague.
€ They roam by night.
€ The females can fire-out up to four litters a year. Each one can have around 6 babies.
€ Where there are no natural predators - like urban areas - the survival rate of the offspring is high.
€ They only need an entrance that's about the size of a donut hole.
€ Pampas grass, palm trees, honeysuckle, yucca plants, Italian cypress trees, storage boxes, heavy shrubbery and wood piles are prime real estate for roof rats.
€ In your house, they like to live as high as they can get. Translated: Your attic.
€ They are climbers and use utility lines, fences and walls to get from place-to-place.
€ They leave droppings that are cylindrical and long.
€ They don't swim or dig into the ground.
€ They live on a diet of paper, certain insects, veggies, fruits, vegetables, pet food and nuts.
Here are some tell-tale signs that you have roof rats in the vicinity.
€ Check to see if you have small oily spots around your home. This could indicate that the rodents have been scratching against it. You might also find these marks around little rips in your screens on your doors or windows.
€ Dropping are always a good way to detect roof rats.
€ Listen closely to what's going on behind the walls at night. You might hear scratching sounds or gnawing.
€ Any fruit trees that have shed their bounty on the ground, check to see if the stuff has been eaten.
Finally, preventing roof rats from overtaking your home can be done by following these steps:
€ Put your pet's food and water dish in an airtight place - like the fridge - overnight.
€ Secure the lids on your trash receptacles.
€ Repair any leaky faucets.
€ Get rid of any standing water on your property.
€ Fix all screens.
€ Trim your bushes, trees and vines. Any of these organics also should be at least 3-or-4 feet.
€ Properly dispose of all outside debris.
€ Firewood should be stored a couple of feet from the ground and away from any walls or structures.
€ Make sure you plug any holes in your attic.
€ Once your fruit is ripe, pluck it. Get rid of any citrus that's fallen on the ground.
These troublemakers have a sinister past, though. The roof rat spread Black Death, aka €The Plague€ back during the middle ages. Because of that, many folks call them black rats. Some of them are, but most likely you'll run across this rodent in a dark brown shade. About a foot to a foot-and-a-half long, quite a bit of it is their tail that stretches more than the rest of its body. And their ears - huge.
Your basic roof rat loves a warm climate. That's why they are partial to the Gulf coast states.
What you should know about roof rats are:
€ They are able to spread diseases like typhus and the bubonic plague.
€ They roam by night.
€ The females can fire-out up to four litters a year. Each one can have around 6 babies.
€ Where there are no natural predators - like urban areas - the survival rate of the offspring is high.
€ They only need an entrance that's about the size of a donut hole.
€ Pampas grass, palm trees, honeysuckle, yucca plants, Italian cypress trees, storage boxes, heavy shrubbery and wood piles are prime real estate for roof rats.
€ In your house, they like to live as high as they can get. Translated: Your attic.
€ They are climbers and use utility lines, fences and walls to get from place-to-place.
€ They leave droppings that are cylindrical and long.
€ They don't swim or dig into the ground.
€ They live on a diet of paper, certain insects, veggies, fruits, vegetables, pet food and nuts.
Here are some tell-tale signs that you have roof rats in the vicinity.
€ Check to see if you have small oily spots around your home. This could indicate that the rodents have been scratching against it. You might also find these marks around little rips in your screens on your doors or windows.
€ Dropping are always a good way to detect roof rats.
€ Listen closely to what's going on behind the walls at night. You might hear scratching sounds or gnawing.
€ Any fruit trees that have shed their bounty on the ground, check to see if the stuff has been eaten.
Finally, preventing roof rats from overtaking your home can be done by following these steps:
€ Put your pet's food and water dish in an airtight place - like the fridge - overnight.
€ Secure the lids on your trash receptacles.
€ Repair any leaky faucets.
€ Get rid of any standing water on your property.
€ Fix all screens.
€ Trim your bushes, trees and vines. Any of these organics also should be at least 3-or-4 feet.
€ Properly dispose of all outside debris.
€ Firewood should be stored a couple of feet from the ground and away from any walls or structures.
€ Make sure you plug any holes in your attic.
€ Once your fruit is ripe, pluck it. Get rid of any citrus that's fallen on the ground.
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