Rats Rat Info:
The roof rat is an introduced species of rat native to southern Asia. It was brought to America on the first ships to reach the New World and has spread around the world. This rat is the same species that carried the bubonic plague around the world and is also the reservoir host for murine typhus. Roof rats are the worst rodent pest in the state of Florida and most abundant. Roof rats consume and destroy stored animal and human food, attack fruit crops, and take up residence in attics, soffits, hollow walls, and out-buildings. When they invade buildings they chew through wires (potentially starting fires), gnaw through plastic and lead water pipes, make holes in walls and cause other structural damage. Adult roof rats are 12-14 inches long (30-36cm) and weigh 5-10oz. (150-250g). The tail of a roof rat is longer than the head and body length: hairless, scaly, and black color. The body is sleek and graceful with prominent ears and eyes. There are three color phases seen in Florida: black back with a slate gray belly, gray back with lighter gray belly, and brownish gray above with a white or cream colored belly.

Roof rats are arboreal (tree-living) by nature. They are similar to squirrels in their ability to move through trees and along vines and wires. They often use utility lines and tree branches to reach food and water and to enter buildings. They prefer nesting above the ground in attics, soffits, piles of debris, hollow trees, skirts of old fronds on palm trees, and in Quaker parrot nests, but will nest in burrows in canal banks and under sidewalks or stacks of materials stored on the ground.

Roof rats reach sexual maturity at 3 to 4 months of age. In Florida, they breed year-round, with peak breeding activity in spring and fall. The litter of 5 to 8 pups is born after a gestation period of 21 to 23 days. A female roof rat can have 4 or 5 litters per year.

Damage/Nuisance concerns:
Because they are a gnawing animal, they can cause damage to your building by chewing soffits and fascia boards. Additionally, they chew the wires inside and outside your building. There have been fires caused by rats gnawing electrical wires inside a building. The will eat fruit form your trees and vegetables from your garden, not to mention the dropping they leave behind.

ROOF RAT AND CONTROL/KILL MEASURES

Damage Control & Solutions:
A trapping program is best for rat control. There are several advantages for using traps, it is safer than potential hazardous poison baits, it has quick, immediate results, and easy disposal of dead rodents avoiding odor problems that will occur if rodenticides kill rodents in inaccessible areas. After trapping and removal of the rats you must seal the openings to avoid a recurrence.

We have a large selection of traps, lures to attract them into the trap and also repellants to keep them away.  For the economy minded, we have a kit that includes everything you will need to trap your rats.