To prevent a roof rat colony from nesting in your home make sure that all the windows and vents are screened.
How many roof rats in a colony.
Both norway rats and roof rats use nests to hide and raise their young.
Roof rats only live up to one year but have the ability to produce as many as 40 new offspring during their lifetime.
The adult roof rat is about 7 10 inches long and weighs about 5 9 ounces.
Roof rat habits life cycle facts.
The size of a colony can be on the order of 100 rats if sufficient food is present to support the population.
If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head.
To start effective control as soon as possible keep an eye out for signs of roof rats in homes.
Roof rats live in colonies and even forage in small groups of ten or so.
Although roof rats prefer warm coastal climates they thrive in many regions of the u s.
Roof rats will nest in hard to reach places such as underground burrows crawlspaces basements and sewers.
Habitat roof rats live in colonies and prefer to nest in the upper parts of buildings.
There are often many nests in close proximity to each other that form a social colony.
Trim all tree branches to further prevent entry.
Where are nests located.
To prevent rats from entering your home seal up any holes or cracks larger than a quarter.
A typical rats nest will be home to about 5 to 10 rats.
To make an ideal home roof rats need food water and a cozy nesting site so clean out wood piles rake up fallen vegetation and fruit and do not leave pet food or water outside especially overnight.
That being said there are some ways to make an estimate about the size of a rat colony.
How to prevent a roof rat infestation.
Inspecting roof rat.
The fur of roof rat is smooth while the fur of the norway rat is rough and shaggy.
The roof rat is very adaptable to many environmental conditions.
They live in colonies with an alpha or dominant male.
The roof rat has a long tail which is longer than the combined length of the head and body.
