For Service Calls
212-721-2521
About
Products (MSDS)
Our Clients
Press
Bed Bugs
Bed Bug Headquarters
Detection
Got Bed Bugs?
Preparation
Prevention
Treatment
Do's & Don'ts
History
Travel Tips
FAQ's
Pest Control
Carpet Beetles
Rodents
Ants
Fleas
Wildlife
Waterbugs
Webbing Clothes Moths
Resources
Blog
Pest Education
Contact
Rodents
Back to Pest Education
Common Rat
Rattus Norvegicus
Appearance
Brown or black
Heavy-bodied
7-9.5 inches long; tail length 6-8 inches
Small eyes and ears
Blunt nose
Fur is shaggy
Droppings are capsule-shaped with blunt ends
Diet
Omnivorous, but prefer meats, fish, and grain
Must have a daily supply of water
Habits
Lives in underground burrows
They enter buildings in search of food
Mostly active at night
Reproduction
Reaches sexual maturity in 2-5 months
They constantly breed throughout the year; litters range from 8-10, females average 6-7 litters per year
Adults live up to one year
Other Information
Common rat for the Northeast
Built for survival
Can adapt to different environments
Limited speed, but good swimmers and jumpers
They can carry many serious diseases
They can fit through a hole the size of a quarter