Order Rodentia : Family Muridae : Rattus rattus also called the black rat or ship rat.

Description. A blackish (or brownish), medium-sized, slender rat with long, naked, scaly tail; tail usually longer than head and body but not always so.

Habits. Roof rats are live in close association with man. They may live near the ground, but usually they frequent the attics, rafters, and crossbeams of the buildings. They make typical runways along pipes, beams or wires, up and down the studding, or along the horizontal ceiling joists, often leaving a dark-colored layer of grease and dirt to mark their runways. The roof rat is nocturnal and only where populations are relatively high are they seen in the daytime.

Breading. Roof rats breed throughout the year, with two peaks of production — in February and March and again in May and June. The period of least activity is in July and August. Each year, females have six to eight litters with four to 12 pups in each litter. The gestation period is approximately 21 days They are reproductively mature in three months.

Diseases.

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS): Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent control in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection.

Murine Typhus: Murine typhus (caused by infection with R. typhi) occurs worldwide and is transmitted to humans by rat fleas. Flea-infested rats can be found throughout the year in humid tropical environments, but in temperate regions are most common during the warm summer months. Travelers who visit in rat-infested buildings and homes, especially in harbor or riverine environments, can be at risk for exposure to the agent of murine typhus.

Rat-bite fever (RBF): Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a systemic bacterial illness caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis that can be acquired through the bite or scratch of a rodent or the ingestion of food or water contaminated with rat feces.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: As its name suggests, it causes a typhoid-like disease in mice. In humans S. Typhimurium does not cause as severe disease as S. Typhi, and is not normally fatal. The disease is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and nausea, and generally lasts up to 7 days. Unfortunately, in immunocompromized people, that is the elderly, young, or people with depressed immune systems, Salmonella infections are often fatal if they are not treated with antibiotics.

Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans it causes a wide range of symptoms, and some infected persons may have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or a rash. If the disease is not treated, the patient could develop kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, and respiratory distress. In rare cases death occurs.

If you have the following items around your home, you may be more prone to attracting roof rats:

ROOF RAT HABITAT

Call us for control; exclusion; clean-up and decontamination.

Results are guaranteed.

Borite Termite & Pest Treatments

Borite Termite & Pest Treatments is equipped to handle any rodent problem that may occur in and around your home. Part of our job is to educate you, our customer of conditions conducive to rodent infestations including those areas that could allow potential harborage, breeding or feeding sights. Research shows that by eliminating or reducing environmental conditions that are conducive to pest activity you can strongly reduce or eliminate rodent infestations. This checklist is designed to provide the information necessary to assist you in your efforts to keep your home rodent free after our initial service.