Rats
Rats
Identification
The Norway rat has a short, stocky body weighing in at 200 to 500 grams. It is covered in coarse body hair and is usually reddish to greyish-brown with buff-white under parts. Its nose is blunt and its tail is scaly and shorter than the head and body combined.
Habitat
Rats are a pest found year round. They oftentimes live outside, migrating inside when cold weather approaches. Rats nest in any safe location where both food and water are available, such as under rubbish, between walls or between floors. Outdoors, they will have burrows in the ground. They gnaw through wood and electrical wires, capable of causing extensive damage.
Threats to You
Rodent droppings are extremely toxic, and can cause many diseases such as hantavirus. They may also bite if they feel cornered or threatened.