Utah is home to many pests, particularly rodents. House mice and Norway rats are the most likely species to intrude into homes and live so close to people. Other rodents in Utah include white-footed mice, harvest mice, deer mice, black rats, and wood rats. Any rodent in your home can be a major problem as they are known to extensively damage your home’s structure, wiring, and piping. Not only will they cause the need for costly repairs by foraging for food and water, but they will contaminate your food and potentially spread diseases and bacteria along with the possibility of inviting fleas in your home. Being that Norway rats are a fairly common rodent intruder in Utah, we at Rentokil would like to cover the basics of Norway rats today.

Where Do Norway Rats Come From?

Norway rats are all found all over the globe and believed to actually have originated from Asia. Norway rats especially have incredible gnawing and clawing capabilities that have made them notorious culprits for destroying utility lines. These rats are so powerful, they can chew through plastic and lead piping.

Norway Rat Identification

When compared to other common rats, Norway rats gave smaller ears and a tail in addition to a shorter scaly tail. Their muzzles are also blunt. With scattered black hairs throughout the coloring, these rats are usually brownish or grayish in color and their fur is coarse. Undersides and feet color are generally lighter shades of gray or white. Ranging in size, Norway rats average 12 ½ – 18 ½ inches in length where their tails make up about 5 ¾ – 8 ½ inches of their total length. Norway rats scurry around agilely on 4 feet, like most rats, and weigh around 10 to 11 ¾ ounces.

Where Do Norway Rats Live?

Norway rats are most likely to intrude in homes and businesses in the fall as the food becomes scarce and temperatures decline, though they will easily slip inside any time of year. Burrowing their nests close together, Norway rats are social pests and will actively stay together throughout their daily routine. The Norway rat’s natural habitats are farmland and fields, and they will infest the structures on these lands looking for shelter, safety, and comforts to escape predators or harsh weather. They tend to burrow under the loose soil found along riverbanks or developed areas like around clutter, woodpiles, garbage and concrete slabs. Once they get inside a home or business, they will hunker down in undisturbed locations such as un the clutter and debris in basements.

Norway Rat Damage & Diseases

Norway rats do the most damage to the structure, pipes and other utility lines as they hunt for a food and water source. They can potentially contaminate the food with their bodily waste as they pilfer any vulnerable food supplies. These rodents can infiltrate cardboard, paper, and flimsy plastics easily. Norway rats have known vectors of diseases such as jaundice, trichinosis, cowpox virus, salmonellosis, plague, and rat-bite fever. Additionally, Norway rats are common hosts to fleas, bringing a flea infestation and the diseases they carry inside your UT home or business.

Rodent Control

To combat potential Norway rat infestations, be sure to keep your home properly sealed with the right applications of sealants, caulk, weather stripping, and mesh covers. Maintain debris and avoid clutter. Store food in sealable and keep trash securely closed off. If you believe your Utah home has Norway rats, call Rentokil for assistance, we will remove them quickly and efficiently.