The Norway rat lives wherever humans live, particularly in urban areas. The fur is coarse and usually brown or dark grey, the underparts are lighter grey or brown. Typical length can be up to 10 inches, not counting the tail which is the same length as the body. Rats have acute hearing and are sensitive to ultrasound, and also possess a very highly developed sense of smell. Their vision is poor thus the reason they are typically seen running along baseboards or other straight line architecture. The Norway rat is a true omnivore and will consume almost anything. They are usually active at night, are good swimmers but poor climbers. They dig well, and often excavate extensive burrow systems.
The Norway rat can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, a female producing up to five litters a year. The gestation period is only 21 days and litters can number up to fourteen. Norway rats carry some diseases, including Weil's disease, cryptosporidiosis, Viral hemorrhagic fever (VHF), Q fever and hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. They can also act as reservoirs of bubonic plague.
Here at Happy Pest Control of San Diego we don't believe in rat traps, the quick snapping mechanism is dangerous to children and pets. Our weapon of choice for rat removal is Bromodialone. Bromodialone is derived from the Sweet Clover plant, and has been synthetically reproduced to form an extremely effective rat poison. When ingested the rat's vitamin K1 reductase is blocked, a necessary factor in blood clotting. This process turns the rat into a hemophiliac. As the final stages of the rodenticide take effect, the rat becomes extremely thristy, typically seeking sources of water outside that are normally available to it.
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