RATS
PEST CONTROL
Breeding peaks during the spring and fall, however the Norway rat can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, with the female producing up to 4 liters in a year. The gestation period is only 22 days, the litters number between 8 and 12. The pups are naked and blind at birth, by day 15 the pups begin to explore their surroundings, learning by watching their mother and following her along pathways to food, hiding spots and Burrows.
The lifespan of a rat in the wild is about one year. The yearly mortality rate is estimated at 95%, predators and interspecies conflict as a major cause.
Stories of rats attaining sizes as big as cats are exaggerations, or misidentifications of larger rodents, such as the muskrat. An adult rat in the wild will grow to 13 to 18 inches long, including their tail, and weigh between 0.5 and 1.25 lbs.
This is a picture of rat exclusion work being performed at a client's home; rats were burrowing along the edges of their property. When we do this type of exclusion work we excavate down between 8 and 12 inches and then we lay the excluder mat. The excluder mat is designed specifically to prevent burrowing animals from getting down deep enough to create a home. After it is in place it is then covered with earth or stones. This solution is a great way to eliminate burrowing rodents from taking up residence in your space.
Rat exclusion work in Boston. Keep the rats off your patio!
Harass the rats!
We want the rats to be uncomfortable, that’s what I mean when I say harass the rats.
Some tips on ways you can harass the rats:
Good sanitation. Poor sanitation is sure to attract rodents and will permit them to thrive in greater numbers. A few thoughts on inside and outside sanitation, inside your home you could pull your stove away from the wall annually to clean the floor and the sides of the stove, do the same with your refrigerator. Eliminating places where rats can find shelter inside and outside of your home is crucial. Inside the home, try to eliminate excess clutter, WHY, because all rodents are prey animals, and they always think something is trying to eat them! if they can find places to hide, they get comfortable, if they are comfortable and warm the next thing on their rodent minds is finding food, then they want to reproduce!
Outside – the garage, same as basement try to keep it clutter free and broom clean. Keep firewood piles away from house, eliminate piles of brush from the yard. If you don’t need it lose it! Along the perimeter of your foundation push landscaping back from house and don’t stack “stuff” close to the foundation. Eliminating hiding places will make your space a less welcoming place for the rats to build and rear their young.
HARASS THE RATS!