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Common Rat

Common Name: Norway/Brown Rat Scientific Name: Rattus norvegicus Size 18-25cm Tail 15-21cm

Biology: Reach sexual maturity in 2-5 months. Pregnancy lasts an average of 23 days. Average number of litters per year is

3-6 each containing 7-8 young rats. One healthy breeding pair can produce over 2000 offspring in one year. They require

about 25g of food per day (approx. 10% of body weight) and 25ml of water each day. They can carry many Diseases

including, Marine typhus via fleas, Weils disease, Salmonellosis via their droppings which is between 30-180 per day and 16cc

of urine everyday.

Habits: Normally nest outdoors but do nest indoors in cellars and lower portions of the building although they will infest attics

and roofs if it's possible. An entry point the size of a golf ball is that is required for rats to gain entry to the premises. They

will eat practically anything from meat, fish, cereals and even there own dead. If they dislike a food they will quickly develop

food shyness. They also need a non-food source for liquid. They will travel between 30-47mts from their harborage for food

and/or water. They will gnaw anything to get to a food source and water source even plastic and lead pipes. Rats teeth will

continue to grow throughout there lifespan, therefore they need to gnaw and chew continuously to maintain correct growth of

their incisor teeth, for this reason alone the damage that they can cause to a building or structure is unlimited.

Treatment: The treatment for rats can vary depending on the level of infestation and the location of the infested area.

Generally rats are baited with a rodenticide, instant kill traps or glue boards etc.

All rat treatments will require a minimum of 2 visits carried out 1 – 2 weeks apart with additional visits if needed. It is

important to try and locate how the rats are entering a property and proof these access point to minimize future re-infestation.

Mice

Common Name: House Mouse Scientific Name: Mus domesticus Size 6.5-9cm Tail 7-10.2cm

Biology: The house mouse is a prolific breeder, they reach sexual maturity within 35 days. Pregnancy lasts an average of 19

days. There are about 8 litters a year with an average of 6 young per litter. A mouse requires about 3gr of food per day and

1.5ml of water although this can be extracted from the food they eat.  Mice carry disease the worst being Salmonella via

their droppings of which on average is 50 per day. Over a 6-month period a pair of mice will eat about 1.8kg of food,

produce 18.000 droppings, and 355ml of urine.

Habits: Their proffered nesting sites are dark secluded places where there is little chance of being disturbed. They require an

opening as little as only 4-6mm to gain entry to a property. They eat many kinds of food but prefer seeds, they will always try

new foods. If food and shelter are plentiful they will only travel 1.5-2.0mts from their harborage. Nesting materials include

paper products, cotton, packing materials, wall/attic insulation & fabrics etc.

Treatment: The treatment for mice can vary depending on the level of infestation and the location of the infested area.

Generally mice are baited with a rodenticide, instant kill traps or glue boards etc.

All mouse treatments will require a minimum of 2 visits carried out   1 – 2 weeks apart with additional visits if needed. It is

important to try and locate how the mice are entering a property and proof all obvious access points to minimize future re-

infestation, although this can be difficult due to the small amount of room they need to squeeze through.