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Rats (Black & Norway): Quick facts from DKS Pest Control

Rats
Rat

Rats: Quick Facts
• Two species of rat are typically found in Pennsylvania.
• Black rats are the slightly smaller of the two. They can also be called roof rats or ship rats.
• Norway rats are the slighter larger of the two. They have proportionally smaller eyes and ears, as well as shorter tails.

What does a Rat look like?
• Black Rat: brown with black intermixed; gray, white or black underside. 6-8” body with a 6-8” tail. Long and thin with a scaly tale, large eyes and ears.
• Norway Rat: brown with scattered black hairs; gray to white underside, 7 to 9-1/2” long body, heavily built, blunt muzzle, smaller eyes and ears.

What do they eat?
• Just about anything!

Where do they live?
• Black, or Roof, Rats get their name from their propensity to live in the upper regions of a home or building.
• Norway Rats (indoor) tend to live in basements, in piles of debris, or undisturbed materials.
• Outdoors, they can be frequently burrow into soil around river banks. They can also be found in piles of garbage, in woodpiles, or under concrete
• Rodents can gain entry to a building through a hole the diameter of a Quarter

Are they dangerous?
• A rat can gnaw through building materials and electrical wire.
• Rats are also infamous for both directly and indirectly carrying diseases as plague, jaundice, rat-bite fever, cowpox virus, trichinosis, and salmonellosis.
• Rats can also contaminate food supplies and introduce fleas into a home.

How can I prevent a Rat infestation?
• Seal all holes and cracks in exterior walls
• Reduce areas of high humidity and moisture in and around your home, especially in crawl spaces and basements
• Perform regular inspections for signs of infestation – listening noises in the attic or in the wall, looking for droppings, gnawing or teeth marks, damaged goods, and greasy rub marks caused by their oily fur.

How do I get rid of Rats?
• Where there’s one rat, there are typically many more
• If you suspect an infestation, it is recommended that you contact a licensed pest control specialist. Please call DKS Pest Control at (724) 478-5344.