Tag - norway rat

Get an advance hand on these invaders

Fall is the transition of summer into winter season; evident of leave color changeover and rushing inside every creature of earth Including humans, animals, insects and rodents to seek warm and cozy clothes, shelter, storage of food and nuts as temperature starts to drop. Most alarmingly, urban people had to face the dramatic expansion of urban sprawl into natural habitats
of rodents.
Rodents are gnawing mammal of an order “Rodentia” that consists of rats, mice, squirrels, hamsters, porcupines and their relatives which are distinguished by strong constantly growing incisors with no canine teeth.
Among rodent rats and house mice are most invading and smart pests in urban areas. Following are common urban inhabiting rodent species with some general points that must be known to everyone:

Norway Rat
Rattus norvegicus Color: Brown or grey Body: Heavy and fat body Snout: Blunt snout
Tail: Shorter than head and body
Diet: Protein-based food, Meat, fish, insects, nuts and grain
Hole: About 2 inches.
Habitat: prefer to live in drains and sewers. Nest in underground burrows, ground floor of buildings, storage rooms, and cluttered areas.

Roof Rat
Rattus rattus Color: Black or brown Body: Sleeker body Snout: Pointed snout
Tail: longer than head and body
Diet: fruits, nuts, seeds, berries, vegetables
Hole: Need minimum ½ inch hole
Habitat: Nest in elevated areas, roofs, ceilings, attics etc.

Color: Light brown to grey
Body: Covered in short hair

House mouse
Mus musculus

Tail: 3 times longer than body
Diet: feed on variety of foods, preferably cereals. Will drink water if available
Hole: Need minimum ¼ inch hole to get entry
Habitat: nest in dark, protected environment, grassy and woody areas.

Why they are threat to us??
Importance of rats in ecosystem and food chain could not be overlooked, however, they could be a big threat to property and public health when come in urban areas like:
Contaminate food:
Contaminate food with their saliva, dirty claws and body.
Food Damage:
They eat less food and damage more by gnawing always remain half portion and shift to next one.
Spread Diseases:
They carry many germs, parasites and pathogens that are being transferred with direct contact or indirectly through food and their products and transmits more than 40 diseases among humans like:
Management:
They are very quick learner, smart and hard to remove form building once get established, so we at Urban Pest Management adopt proper rodent-proofing by following this IPM Pyramid.

IPM:
IPM is integration of all possible and economical practices in combination to suppress the rodent infestation aimed at environment safety.
Exclusion:
Exclusion is first and foremost step of IPM pyramid meant to exclude all entryways or set barrier around all of your infrastructure to stop them get entrance in our premises like:
• Seal all electric penetrations.
• Seal all plumbing penetrations approaching to building.
• Seal all AC and heat penetrations entering into the building.
• Caulk and Seal all door and window gaps.
• Caulk and block holes coming to premises.
• Install weather-stripping below doors.
• Make sure all exterior doors are properly covered and have no cracked sides.
• Trim vegetation and weeds especially climbing plants and those who have direct contact with building.
• Make sure dumpsters and waste collecting containers in and around your building are completed sealed, covered, not damaged and on pest-proof pavement.
Habitat Alteration:
It is second step followed by exclusion and change in rat beloved habitat; where they tend to live to make the environment unfavorable for their breeding and reproduction by following mentioned methods:

• Remove clutter such as extra payers and boxes.
• Good housekeeping.
• Make sure dust bins have lids and liners and are covered when not in use.
• Don’t keep them over-filled.
• Make sure all washrooms, sinks and floor drains are properly screened.
• False ceiling is properly fitted, not missed, wet or stained.
• Elevated Places and attics walls and corners are properly sealed.
• All walls and wall floor junctions should be hole free.
• Make sure all artifacts standings and shelves should not be in direct contact with walls and floor.
• Stoves hoods and fryers are properly sealed.
• Good maintenance of lawns.
Sanitation:
It is third step accompanied by earlier two aimed to stop or prohibit their food and water.
• Store food items in tightly fitted containers.
• Remove food spillage immediately.
• Remove water spillage immediately.
• Remove food grains and scattered food grains around garbage bins.
• Keep clean wall floor junctions.
Physical Control:
It is fourth step in which rats and mice are being trapped using non-chemical or poisonous traps or devices. Below are listed devices and traps used for rats as physical control. They are mores monitoring devices than control.

Glue Traps:
• Glue traps are made up of sheets, fiberboard, cardboard coated with strong adhesive sticky material placed in runways of rats.
• They are non-poisonous and eco-friendly yet are controversial to use.
Live Traps:
• It is a devise designed to trap or catch live rat sometimes lured with some attractant food in it.
Chemical Control:
• EPA recommended rodenticides are being used against rodents in eco-friendly bait stations as chemical control. Bait Stations are specialized devices specifically designed considering environment safety and specific to target.
Only chemical use is not answer to all pest solution, complete pest proofing should be practiced as above explained or call a professional pest company as it is not that easy and safe task to handle.