Norway rats and roof rats are the two most common US rat species found in home infestations. These two species share a lot of similarities, but they actually have different ways of infesting the home. Let’s take a look at how these two species infest the home differently.
How Norway rats infest the home
Norway rats like to spend most of their time close to the ground, usually in burrows that they make themselves. This behavior will transfer to the way they infest the home, where they prefer to lower levels or the basement.
Norway rats will look for cracks close to the foundation of the home in order to gain access. They are also excellent swimmers, and there have been reports of Norway rats entering the home by swimming through the sewage system and coming out of the toilet. Of course, this nightmare scenario is very rare, so in most situations, these rats will find a way to enter the home through some vulnerability that is near the foundation.
How roof rats infest the home
Roof rats are different from Norway rats in that they prefer to spend most of their time above ground, as high as possible. They love to nest and forage in trees and high foliage, and when they enter the home, they will do it through the roof and try to set up in the attic.
The main strength of these rats is their athletic ability. They can jump long distances, climb vertical surfaces and travel across electrical wires. Stopping them from entering the home can be hard, and you will have to pay special attention to the upper levels of the home.
Differences in control
When it comes to control, the main difference between Norway rats and roof rats is that they set up in different areas of the home. Roof rats will spend most of their time upstairs, while Norway rats will look to set up in the basement or close to it. This means that you will have to place the traps and poisons in the appropriate area in order to draw in these species and get them under control. Outside of this, the same methods and baits can be used to deal with these two rat species. For more information on how Norway rats and roof rats are controlled, or if you have an infestation in your home, contact us today.
