Roof rats, also called black rats or ship rats, get their name from their need to be up high in trees and roofs. Roof rats rarely live longer than 9 months, but females may give birth to as many as 3 dozen babies in that time. Such rapid reproduction lets infestations to occur rapidly. These rodents are usually long and thin with a pointy nose and big ears. Roof rats will eat just about anything but prefer seeds, nuts, fruits, slugs, snails, and a various of insects, being nocturnal they like to eat at dusk and dawn. Their favorite places to live are in trees and the upper parts of buildings, like attics and rafters. Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats, but both species can carry similar diseases and their destructive behaviors differ. Norway rats often damage ground structures, while roof rats will damage walls, pipes, wires, and insulation. Because roof rats are so filthy, they contaminate food or preparation surfaces merely by passing by and gnaw their way into stored products in search of food, contaminating it as well. They also carry fleas that can spread diseases like typhus. To prevent a roof rat from getting into your house: install door sweeps on exterior doors, trim trees and shrubs away from the side of the building by 3 feet, keep pet food indoors at night, store firewood away from your house and repair any leaky pipes, roofs or water issues in a crawl space.
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gogreenpestcontrol.ca & Exterminators Delta Ladner Tsawwassen B.C. Randy Bilesky BsF CPA RPF
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