Brown rats are a common pest in homes, offices, and other areas of human habitation. They can cause damage to property and food, as well as transmit diseases to humans. Fortunately, there are multiple tips for preventing brown rats from entering your home. To keep them out, seal any holes you can find around your house. Also, keeping the house clean and food stored in tightly closed containers will discourage rats from staying because there’s no food. So, please keep reading to learn everything you need about brown rats and how to avoid them!
What Brown Rats Look Like
Have you ever wondered, “What does a rat look like?” Well, we have the answer right here for you! Brown rats, also known as Norway rats or common rats, are medium-sized rodents with brownish fur on their backs and white bellies. They have long, primarily hairless tails that are almost as long as their body. Moreover, the average brown rat size is about 1 pound (0.45 kilogram).
Brown rats’ eyes are small and black, with small ears and a short snout. Their incisors grow continuously throughout their lives and must be worn down regularly by gnawing to prevent overgrowth. Adult brown rats have an average life span of one to two years in the wild but can live up to five years in captivity. Brown rats can climb trees, swim, run fast, and even jump more than 2 feet straight into the air!
Brown Rats Habitat
After knowing the appearance of rats, the next thing that might pop into one’s mind is, where do rats live? Sadly, rats aren’t picky about where they live for many of us. You can find a brown rat anywhere from the sewer system to your attic. Brown rats are notorious for getting into homes and apartments through tiny crevices on the walls or floors. They’re excellent climbers and can squeeze through small spaces! They also have a keen sense of smell, making it easy to find food and water sources.
If you notice cracks or holes in your walls or floors, it’s important to have them repaired so that brown rats don’t get inside your home. Moreover, brown rats are infamous for chewing on electrical wires. So, if you notice any exposed wiring or messed up electrical outlets, make sure you get those fixed immediately!
What Brown Rats Eat
Brown rats are omnivorous, which means they eat plants and meat. They’re known to be good at adapting to their environment, so they’ll eat whatever is available. They do eat anything and everything—they’ll even consume other rats! So if you have a rat problem in your home, it might seem like an impossible task to get rid of them for good. But there are some things you can do to help keep them out of your house permanently!
How to Prevent Brown Rats Infestation
Fortunately, because brown rats are so common, people found various ways to prevent them from being nuisances in their homes. It’s important to remember that once brown rats have infested your home, it’s challenging to get rid of them and prevent them from returning later without professional rat extermination service. Here are some suggestions on how you can prevent brown rats from entering your home:
1. Keep Garbage Cans Tightly Closed at All Times
It’s a simple fact: Rats love garbage. They love the smell, the scraps and crumbs, and they’ll do whatever it takes to get at them. Keeping garbage cans closed is one of the most important things you can do to keep rats away from your home. The most effective way of doing this is by using a heavy-duty metal lid that covers the entire opening of your garbage can. If you have a plastic garbage can, consider placing small rocks or bricks on top of the plastic lid. This way, it won’t blow off when there’s wind or if children accidentally kick it over while playing outside.
2. Store Your Food in Airtight Containers
Rats are very good at finding and eating food stored in our homes. They’re also good at getting into cardboard boxes and plastic bags. For instance, if you keep your food in a cardboard box, rats can chew through it in just a few minutes and get to the food. Cereal is especially vulnerable because it’s usually packaged in cardboard! So, what do you do? Just place your food in an airtight container or your fridge. As soon as the rats realize there’s nothing around to eat, they’ll leave you in peace.
3. Seal Any Holes
Rats like to nest in the dark, enclosed spaces. They squeeze through openings tighter than an inch. If you have holes around your doors or
windows, these critters will try to find them and make your home theirs. They’ll search for food and water. Then they’ll nestle where it’s primarily quiet—like your attic. To keep them out, seal up any holes you see around doors, windows, or any other place they might gain access. You can use steel wool, hardware cloth, or any screening material to block off these areas.
Are Brown Rats Dangerous?
Brown rats can carry many diseases, which makes them dangerous. They can spread these diseases through bites, faeces, urine, or saliva. Their faeces contain bacteria that can cause food poisoning if it gets into food or water supplies. For example, rats can carry salmonella, a disease that can make people sick. If a rat’s urine or droppings get into food and humans accidentally eat them, they could become ill. Hence, it’s best to take all precautions to keep rats out of your home.
Conclusion
In conclusion, brown rats are a problem for many people. You can take steps to prevent them from becoming a problem for you and your loved ones. Make sure to store your food in sealed containers and seal any holes around your place. A strong trash can lid that seals tightly is also helpful. Hopefully, this article has given you some insight on how to prevent brown rat infestation. Good luck! If brown rats have already infested your home, your best option is to contact a professional rat control service to eliminate the infestation and make your home rat-proof.
