The Norway rat is present throughout the world. It is considered a major pest that prefers to live near human settlements, and it is capable of damaging property, spreading disease, and attacking food supplies. Let’s take a look at what you need to know about this species.
Where Is the Norway Rat From?
The obvious answer would of course be “Norway.” However, the Norway rat is originally from Asia. It’s just that it arrived in England from Norway in the 18th century, so its English name became the Norway rat. In order to reach Norway and Europe, the rat had to travel from Asia through Russia as far back as the 14th century.
Appearance
If you’ve seen a rodent recently and you don’t know what species it was, this could help you out. Norway rats have brown/black furs, with bristly hairs, and with a light underbelly. They can be up to 9 inches long, and the tail is shorter than the length of their body.
The Life of the Norway Rat
Norway rats are extremely adaptable. They are spread out through the entire world, being able to survive in almost any climate, from tundra to desert. They have an omnivorous diet, reproduce quickly, have great acrobatic skills, and they are resistant to diseases. However, the Norway rat is colorblind, with very poor vision, and this might be due to its reclusive nature. These rats will choose small, dark places to nest and travel, only venturing out into the light to forage for food.
Getting a Norway Rat Infestation Under Control
There are several methods that you can use to control a Norway rat infestation. The classics are traps and poisons, but there are also other creative methods that use ultrasonic devices, reproductive inhibition or biological control methods. The most effective and most widely used methods however remain the traps and the poison, which you can either use yourself, or hire a pro to help you out.
Tackling a rat infestation can be difficult, especially once it is large enough. Using poison improperly for example can lead to dead rats in hard to reach places where they will start to rot, and traps need to be placed in the right locations, otherwise the rats will tend to avoid them. If you are having troubles dealing with a Norway rat infestation, contact us today and we will help you get the infestation under control.