[photo: Liftarn - GFDL1.2]

ROOF RAT
Rattus rattus

Rats are instinctively wary of traps and bait, and colonize in attics, burrows, under concrete and porches, in wall voids and other hard to reach places, frequently making eradication difficult. They normally hide during daylight hours, and avoid brightly lit spaces. Rats can harbor and transmit a number of serious diseases.  They can also introduce disease-carrying parasites such as fleas, lice and ticks into your home.  Rat urine and droppings (capsule shaped) contain microbes that can cause very serious illnesses. Because of the potential health concerns, anyone suspecting a rat problem in their home or business should contact a pest professional immediately. Roof rats are black or brown in color, 6"-to-8" in length, with an equally long tail, large ears and a pointed nose.  Their body is more slender than Norway Rats, and their fur is smooth.  They have very poor vision, and rely strongly on hearing, taste, touch, and smell. Roof rats become sexually mature at four months.  One litter can have four-to-eight offspring, and they can bear four-to-six litters per year.  Roof rats live up to one year. Roof rats will nest inside of and under buildings, as well as outdoors in piles of rubbish or wood.  They are excellent climbers, frequently found in upper parts of a structure.  Because they can squeeze through openings as small as 1/2" in diameter, careful inspection of foundations, siding, window casements, and exterior doors should be conducted. Roof rats prefer grains, fruits, and nuts.  They cannot survive for long without a water source.  Care should be taken in food preparation and storage areas to secure pantry stocks in rat-proof containers such as hard plastic, glass, or metal.  Pet foods are extremely attractive to rats, and so the same storage rules apply.  Any leaky plumbing should be repaired to avoid providing rats a constant water source.  If food and water are in constant supply indoors, once established, they will usually remain in the controlled indoor environment rather than returning to outdoor nests.

This page is intended as a quick reference. Pest experts should be contacted for case-by-case evaluation if you believe that you have a pest problem that requires professional assistance.

Some information found in this overview has been compiled from household pest information sheets published by the Penn State University Extension Office: Rodent Fact Sheet, and by the National Pest Management Association: Pest Guide. This information is included on this web site strictly to help in the identification of various pests, and no profit is directly derived there from. To read the complete fact sheets, which also include helpful tips on how to avoid attracting these pests, what types of elimination can be handled in the home vs. what types of elimination require the assistance of a professional, visit the respective links.