Norway Rat Control - Austin, TX

What Do Norwegian Rats Look Like?

Norway rats are also called the brown rat or gray rat because they are easily identified by their coarse grayish- brown fur. Norwegian rats have a thick, large body, relatively small, hairless ears, and protruding eyes. A Norway / sewer rat’s tail also is furless with a scaly texture.

Norway Rat Size: As one of the largest rat species, the sewer rat can be 6-8 inches in length (excluding tail) and weigh up to an entire pound.

Norway Rat Habitat: Norway rats create burrowed tunnels through soil, basement areas, building foundation cracks, cracks in woodwork, basement areas, garages, crawlspaces, and sheds. They also create nests in Austin homes that consist of accumulated debris, such as bits of paper, cloth, and fibrous material. The common brown rat enjoys grains, meat, seeds, fruit, and other insects, and tends to live close to a central water source and food sources, such as open garbage cans or unsealed food bags/ containers in pantries.

Signs of a Norway Rat Infestation

Rat droppings: Norway rat droppings are ¾ inches, capsule-shaped with blunt ends, and found in small piles. Rat droppings in your home are the most common and obvious sign of a house rat infestation and indicate that you should call your rodent and rat control professionals at Magic Pest to prevent Norway rat problems from getting out of hand!

Scratching in walls: If you are hearing strange scratching or scraping noises in your walls, particularly at night, you might have house rats. Norway rats are nocturnal and like to forage for food in the dark hours, making them active and noisy in the evenings.

Small teeth marks or scratches: If you notice scratches or bite marks on woodwork and baseboards; holes or chewed areas in your cardboard food containers or bags of seed and pet food; or tiny footprints and greasy trail marks around your walls and in dusty areas, it might be signs you need to call the Norway rat control experts at Magic Pest and Lawn.

Norwegian rats multiply quickly. A typical brown rat litter can be between 4-22 babies, and female brown rats can give birth up to 12 times per year. If you don’t get professional Norway rat control as soon as possible, you could be going up against an overwhelming amount of these nasty sewer rats.

Difference Between a Norway Rat and a Roof Rat

If you have rats in your home or office, it is likely you are dealing with either a roof rat /black rat or a Norway rat / black rat. One of the key indicators is where the rats are making their nests. Norway rats prefer areas such as pantries, basements, crawl spaces, sheds, and burrowing holes in the ground, whereas roof rats make nests in trees and high spaces such as rafters, attics, and ceilings. Here are some main differences to look for when identifying a roof rat vs. a Norway rat: