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Common Rats In Tulsa
February 8, 2018
If you see a rat running across your kitchen floor, chances are you won't care what kind of rat it is. It's a rat--and you want it gone! But it can actually be quite helpful to know what kind of rats we have here in Tulsa, the problems and damage they can cause, and what is necessary to get rid of them.
Roof Rats
A roof rat is black or dark brown in color, with a lighter colored underbelly, and they grow to be between 12 and 18 inches long (including the tail). Weight is between 5 and 9 ounces. They are slender, with large, nearly hairless ears, large eyes, and a pointed nose. Their droppings are long and cylindrical. Typically these rodents live outside in trees, woodpiles or debris, or in dense vegetation. Their light build makes it easy for them to climb and, when they make their way inside human dwellings, they prefer to make nests in the upper levels of a structure, inside the attic or ceiling.
Like other rodents, these rats can spread disease, sometimes directly, by contaminating food with their urine and feces, or by biting people; other times indirectly, such as when a flea bites a diseased rat and then bites a person or a pet. When rats burrow underneath a structure, this can undermine the foundation. They cause damage by gnawing plastic and lead pipes, door frames, upholstery, electrical wiring, and more. Roof rats will also destroy or taint stored foods with their gnawing.
Norway Rats
The Norway rat, also called the brown rat, house rat, barn rat, sewer rat, gray rat, or wharf rat (whew!) is a stocky burrowing rodent that is slightly larger than the roof rat. Adult Norway rats weigh approximately 1 pound and their fur is a course brownish, or reddish gray, with a whitish gray underbelly. Some Norway rats are more of a black color.
These rats present the same problems as roof rats and other rodents. They can carry diseases such as hantavirus pulmonary syndrome, Lassa fever, leptospirosis, plague and rat-bite fever. They can also introduce secondary pests such as mites, fleas, and ticks which can spread additional illnesses. And they cause damage with their constant chewing, the same as other rodents that have teeth that need to be constantly worn down.
Prevention Tips
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Declutter your property. Rats need places to hide. Removing clutter will keep them away from your house.
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Maintain your lawn and garden, keeping them neat and trimmed.
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Keep trash in sealed containers.
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Remove water and food sources from your property.
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Trim back trees and vegetation from your perimeter.
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Seal up gaps and cracks in your foundation and walls.
Professional Services
If you are seeing rats, it doesn't matter what kind they are, Montgomery Exterminating will take care of them for you. Call us today for prompt, friendly assistance.
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