Rats
The Brown Rat
generally nests outdoors in burrows dug under the floors of houses, sheds or
other buildings, in banks, in piles of rubble or in rubbish heaps, compost heaps
or refuse tips.
During the day rats usually stay in their burrows and come out a night to search
for food.
They eat meats, fish, flour, seeds, grains, fruits, vegetables and anything a
human will eat. They eat 30g of food per day and drink about 15ml water each
day. A rat must have water daily to survive.
The brown rat is greyish-brown in colour but this varies from pure grey to pure
black or any combination of this. They are large and stocky, measure 30-45 cm in
length including the tail. They have a blunt nose, small close-set ears and a
long naked tail. They weigh up to 650g. The rat dropping is 19mm long and oblong
shaped.
Brown rats live in small, hierarchical family groups, including one or more
dominant males. The dominant males territory extends up to about 100m and is
explored daily, any intruders being ejected often after a fierce, sometimes
fatal fight. They are neo-phobic (showing a fear of new objects) which makes
them cautious and any new object in their territory takes them several days
before they will accept it. Like mice, rats are colour blind and have poor
eyesight. Their sense of smell and touch is however acute.
Rats can squeeze through a hole of 13mm diameter. Though not good climbers
because of their bulk, the brown rat can climb up the inside and outside of
pipes and jump as much as a metre vertically, drop 15cms without injury and can
burrow down to a depth of 1.2 m.
Rodents are also the vectors of disease and carry tuberculosis, salmonella gastro- enteritis, rat bite fever, leptospirosis (wiels disease) and numerous others all of which can cause death. Their droppings and fur will also contaminate food preparation surfaces and foodstuffs. Rodents are incontinent and consequently foul wherever they travel.
It is estimated that 50% of the rat population may be carriers of this disease and it does not affect them.
Life-Cycle
Rodents also breed at an alarming rate. It is estimated that if two rats were
left in a building with a food source for twelve months their population would
grow to 2000.
Brown rats are capable of mating at three months. Females come into heat every 4
or 5 days. Females have an average of 3 - 7 litters per year with 6 - 12 pups
per litter. Their eyes open at 6 days and they are fully furred by 15 days.
After giving birth the female goes back into heat in 24 hours. Adults live for
approximately one year. Brown rats have 6 pairs of nipples.
Many insurance companies will no longer insure against rodent damage.
Advanced Rodent Control.