Roof Rats Houston Gov Edu

The rats in texas that we encounter include the norway rat the yellow nosed cotton rat the hispid cotton rat and the tawny bellied cotton rat among others but the roof rat is the most common in our service area.

Roof rats houston gov edu.

Unlike norway rats their tails are longer than their heads and bodies combined. Roof rats also known as the black rat or the ship rat will hide in the insulation of your attic and roof. Roof rats are black bodied rodents with long tails. Their undersides are often white gray or black.

The roof rat prefers to live aboveground. Roof rats are often found nesting high up in trees but also in burrows under plants. Contrasted with the roof rat the norway rat is at home below the ground living in a burrow. These rodents are very skilled climbers.

Roof rats the roof rat can be distinguished from the norway rat because of their smaller leaner bodies and their prowess for climbing. Rats can grow to be about 12 15 inches in length which is much larger than mice. Rattus rattus also known as the black rat ship rat or house rat is an old world rodent species originating in southeast asia. Here is some important information on these pests as well as tips to help you avoid them in your houston home or business.

Gouge paula rivadeneira and shujuan lucy li. Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. For pest management professionals and environmental health professionals.

These texas rats are dark brown or black in color with lighter underbellies. The roof rat figures 1 4. I can look at a house and in a couple seconds go problem problem problem problem said jenkins. And outdoors in trees and dense vine growth.

Flooding brought the rats inside jenkins wants to keep them out. They are also likely to infest basements areas under buildings and sewers as well as higher places in structures. Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. Roof rats have pointed noses large ears and big beady eyes.

The roof rat is a slender graceful and very agile climber. Indoors in attics between floors in walls or in enclosed spaces.