Sneaky Roof Rat

As its name indicates this rat is most likely to be found in higher places and upper levels of the home.

Sneaky roof rat.

Their undersides are often white gray or black. The roof rat also called gray bellied rat white bellied rat alexandrine rat black rat and ship rat. Roof rats are smaller and darker. They re different than brown rats or norway rats which are more commonly known.

Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered. Its origins go to the tree forests of southeast asia and are adept for climbing vines wires and narrow ledges. Thus traps should be placed off the ground in the attic rafters of the garage on shelves and ledges. Roof rats are a very common rat in north america that live in walls ceilings and attics.

I always laugh when someone calls creepy creatures termite and pest control describing hearing scratching and chewing in the ceiling. It seems as though we have roof rats everywhere. Roof rats also called black rats are one of the many rodents that might find their way inside your south carolina home this fall. These rats are omnivores eating foliage like seeds leaves and stems in addition to small prey like birds and insects.

The roof rat is smaller than a norway rat growing to be between 6 and 8 inches in body length with an additional 6 to 8 inches in the tail. These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus. Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases. Their fur is usually a grey or black color.

Sneaky rat roof rats without question the most common rat in florida is the roof rat. Roof rats are excellent climbers hence the name. They are located in the coastal areas of the usa since they do not adapt well to cooler temperatures. Roof rats have smooth fur pointy noses and large dark eyes.

Most species of rat look similar and it can be difficult to tell between a roof rat and the common norway rat but there are some telltale ways to distinguish between the two. Since roof rats can enter through very small holes in the attic you can only catch them by sealing off the area where they are living and then trapping them. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black.

From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases.