Curiosity may not strike when you notice rats infesting your home. However, the best way to rid of your pests problem is to identify which rat is infesting your home.
There are different types of rats and multiple ways to identify these pests. The most common rodents that infest a home are house mice, cotton rats, Norway rats, deer mice, and roof rats.
House Mice
House mice are the most common rodent that infest a home. These rodents can be a health hazard as they carry diseases, such as hantavirus, salmonellosis, and rat-bite fever.
Characteristics
These types of pests have a small and slender body with gray-brown fur and large eyes and ears. They are about three to four inches long.
Habits
House mice are burrowing rodents. They enjoy dark, secluded spaces and live in holes they create by digging and gnawing. These tiny rodents are omnivorous, but also eat fruits, grains, and seeds.
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Cotton Rats
Although this type of rat lives in open, grassy fields and is an agricultural pest, cotton rats will invade a home if their food sources are scarce or their habitat is endangered.
Characteristics
Cotton rats are small and their tail is shorter than their entire body length. They have long, coarse fur that is a mixture of brown, gray, tan, and black on their upper side and gray on their bottom.
Habits
These house pests are herbivores and eat seeds, stems, berries, fruits, nuts, and leaves.
Norway Rats
Norway rats are also called sewer rats, house rats, or barn rats. These rodents produce rapidly and are colonial, meaning several dozen live together at once.
Characteristics
These pests have long tails and bodies with coarse, medium-length brown or reddish-gray fur. They are distinguishable by their high-pitched squeaks and long, oblong-shaped scat.
Habits
Norway rats are burrowing rodents, which means their habitats are in the ground, typically next to garbage cans or dumpsters. They also create their nesting place by gnawing through wood and entering homes from the exterior.
Deer Mice
Deer mice are like house mice in the sense that they can be a health hazard. They also carry the hantavirus, which can be fatal if not treated.
Characteristics
These rodents are relatively the same size as their rodent counterpart however, they typically have a tail that is half white and half brown. Deer mice have light brown or tan fur with a white belly.
Habits
Deer Mice create their dwellings in wooden fences, hollowed logs, barns, and sheds. Since these rodents are omnivores, they eat insects, snails, and worms, but they will also consume fruits and seeds.
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Roof Rat
Similar to a Norway rats, these rodents are larger pests. Roof rats are commonly known as black rats or ship rats due to their dark fur and incredible swimming abilities.
Characteristics
These pests are more slender than sewer rats, have a medium-build with black-gray fur, and a pale belly.
Habits
Roof rats are omnivores, but will eat insects, fruits, and grains. They nest in trees or upper areas like attics, hence the name.
If you’re experiencing a rat infestation and want them professionally removed, call an expert. A rat exterminator will eliminate the problem from the source and have your home pest-free within a few days.
