Brown rats, also known as Norway rats, are members of the mouse family and can measure up to 16 inches long. They have large bodies and short tails, and males tend to be bigger than females. These rodents thrive in urban settings and weigh between 225g and slightly over 450g on average.
Norway Rat Control Treatment in Brisbane : Taking Care of Your Rodent Problem
Brown rats, also known as Norway rats, are members of the mouse family and can measure up to 16 inches long. They have large bodies and short tails, and males tend to be bigger than females. These rodents thrive in urban settings and weigh between 225g and slightly over 450g on average.
How to Recognise a Brown Rat?
The brown rat can be identified by its short, dense fur that covers its entire body except for its nose, tail, and ears. While their fur can range from grey to brown, they typically have lighter colouring on their underside.
Brown rats are polygamous animals that have multiple mates within a group. Both males and females can mate when they are three to four months old. These pests can breed all year round, but they are more active in summer.
Female rats can have up to seven litters a year, with each pregnancy lasting 22 to 24 days. They are ready to mate again only 18 hours after giving birth. They copulate with several competing males up to 500 times during this period. The young rats suckle for three to four weeks before leaving the nest.
Norway rats are opportunistic feeders and can eat various foods, such as human waste, crops from farms, plants, lizards, chicks, and other rodents.
They usually live under shrubs and in sewers and dig deep tunnel systems where they build nests from shredded materials. Because they live near humans, they are often found in urban areas along the coast.
In the wild, Norway rats have an average lifespan of two to three years. However, humans can live up to four or five years when cared for by humans.
How to Detect Brown Rat Infestation?
Brown rats can quickly become a nuisance on your property. Identifying the signs of an infestation is essential to act before the problem worsens.
Norway Rats on Your Property? How Can We Help You Get Rid of Them?
Norway rats have a high reproductive rate, so detecting and preventing them early before they infest your property is vital. You can keep them out of your home by closing gaps or openings, repairing leaky pipes to limit water access, keeping food in sealed containers, and doing regular cleaning.
If you think Norway rats have invaded your property, call Tom’s Pest Control Brisbane immediately. Our pest control experts have the skills and experience to remove these rats from residential and commercial properties. We can handle any size of rodent infestation using safe products and modern techniques.
Get in Touch with Us Now - Don’t let a pest infestation ruin your day.
Contact us, and we will discuss your situation and how we can help you. We are here to help you eliminate those pests as soon as possible.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Norway rats enter homes?
Norway rats can enter homes through cracks and crevices. They can squeeze through holes as small as 11.27cm. Also, they can climb pipes, wires, vines, and trees to access roofs and attics.
How can I tell the difference between Norway rats and roof rats?
By comparing their physical characteristics, Norway and roof rats may be distinguished. The brown fur of Norway rats is interspersed with black hairs, and they are larger and stockier than roof rats.
In addition, their tail is shorter than their body length, and their ears and eyes are smaller than their body size. Roof rats, on the other hand, are active and have black hair with a lighter belly. In addition, they have huge ears and eyes relative to their body size.
Why is Norway ratting a problem?
Norway rats are a problem because they eat and contaminate food and damage properties by gnawing and burrowing. They also spread diseases that affect people and pets, such as plague, jaundice, rat-bite fever, and other dangerous conditions. Additionally, Norway rats can introduce fleas into the home and produce large offspring that can grow out of control if left untreated.