Rats
Rattus Norvegicus
Rats are deeply integrated into almost every human settlement. Some species are so prevalent.
They are the bane in the existence of big cities all around the world. But not all rats were created equal, and not all of them are pests.
PestGuard solutions aims at showing you the good, the bad, and the ugly rats in Australia.
Species of rats in Australia
Brown Rat (Rattus norvegicus): The brown rat is one of the most widely known species worldwide (even if most people don't know that's what it's called). It's also known as a "Norway rat", which is weird as monikers go considering it doesn't originate from Norway.
This rat species is not native to Australia. It's worth to note pet and lab rats also originate from it. They have an enormous potential for growth and can reach a weight of up to 500 grams, though significantly less in the wild.
Black Rat (Rattus rattus): Black rats are smaller than their brown counterparts, which is why they lose the battle for dominance in most of the world. In Australia, things are a bit different, however. For an unknown reason, we have a lot more black rats than we do brown rats.
Black rats can reach up to 230 grams and come in a variety of colours, in spite of their name.
Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes): Mainly distributed along the coastline, this rodent is a native species of rat and not a pest. Usually hides in undergrowth in order to avoid predators.
The male and the female differ mostly in size. The bush rat is an omnivore and doesn't usually establish a nest.
Signs of a rat infestation
- Gnawed objects or traces of rat teeth - Since they need to keep their teeth in check, they constantly gnaw and leave traces.
- Rat droppings - It's more unlikely to discover rat droppings in your house than it is to find mouse droppings.
- Noises - They may try to be covert, but rats make a lot of noise at night when they gnaw on things. Being nocturnal animals, they may disturb your sleep.
- Rat footprints - Especially in the attic or basement where dust is likely to gather.
Property damage
Structural damage is not a foreign concept to rats. Their teeth grow throughout their entire life so they need to gnaw on something all the time. This can lead to catastrophic consequences if the thing they gnaw on is your plumbing or electric system. Many a fire have been started by a rat infestation.
That's not all - rats love to eat grain, so they're a huge problem in warehouses as they can contaminate many food sources.
