Environment

Rats

Rats - general information

The common rat, also known as the brown rat or sewer rat is approximately 240mm in length (excluding the tail) and weighs between 100-500 grams. They have brown fur on their back and grey fur underneath.

Rats cannot be confused with housemice, which are half their size and weight and have tails longer than their bodies. Housemice also have large ears in relation to their body and small feet.

Rats need shelter, food and water to survive. They are burrowers and like to build nests in compost heaps or underneath hedges and sheds. In houses they will nest in wall cavities and beneath floor boards.

Rats are good climbers and have no problem climbing vertical brick walls. They are also good swimmers and are often found in sewers where there is food, water and shelter.

The front teeth of rats grow continuously and to keep the teeth to a useful length the rat needs to gnaw on hard objects all the time. Such objects can include lead water pipes, brickwork, electric cables, wood and anything else available. Rats are mainly active at night. They usually have well worn runs between their living area and their food and water sources.

The life expectancy of a rat is around one year, during which female rats will typically breed five times and produce an average of 8 offspring.

Rats are a major health hazard. They spread many forms of disease through their droppings and urine, some of which can be fatal to humans although this is very rare.

Through their gnawing habit they can cause considerable structural damage to woodwork, water pipes and electric cables etc.

Rats - treatment

Information on how to treat a rat infestation.

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