Norway rat or sewer rat

Intrusion of rats from Norway, how to get rid of it?

We meet the Norwegian rat everywhere. In Canada, this rodent abounds in highly inhabited areas such as metropolises.

These animals most often live in sewers. However, they may invade your homes. Often in search of food, they then attack your kitchen, your pantry, etc.

The intrusion of rats into your home is not without consequences: your furniture and the structure of your buildings are damaged, not to mention that they cause fires, contaminate your food and make you sick.

So you have to think about deratisation and using rat or traps is not enough. The effectiveness is temporary and only the intervention of the experienced exterminator is really effective.

How do I know if it’s the Norwegian rat? How do you distinguish it from black rats and other pests? What is its life cycle? How do you prevent it from colonizing your home? How to get rid of it effectively?

These are all questions that Animal Alertprovides professional answers to.

Grey Rat: His Physical Appearance

The Norwegian rat (also called grey rat, sewer rat, water rat, dock rat, surmulot rat) is often mistaken for the black rat because their physical appearances are similar. The black rat differs from the Norwegian rat by its rather long tail and ears, its pointed snout, etc. Learn more about the black rat.

The sewer rat is identifiable by its black red coat on the back and yellowish grey on the belly. The name brown rat comes from this assemblage of colors.

His eyes are small. His snout is bevelled. His ears seem half buried in his hair. Its teeth and claws are sharp; enough for him to use it to dig galleries.

The Norwegian rat is a robust animal that weighs between 300g and 500g and measures 18 to 25cm without its tail. The said tail is 15 to 20 cm long. It has a darker color than the rest of the body. It is hairless, thick and scaly.

His senses of smell, hearing, touch and taste are very developed. This is what compensates for his visual weakness.

The male Norwegian rat is larger than the female.

Reproduction and life cycle of sewer rats

The reproduction of these grey rats occurs when the female is in her rut period. After mating with a male, the female remains pregnant for 24 days. At birth, the female gives birth to 8 to 12 pups per litter. It then ingests the placenta.

Newly born young rats are blind. They’re hairless. Their skin is reddish in colour. They are fed breast milk and do not become independent until 3 weeks later.

The development of Norway rats is marked by the presence of reproductive organs from the age of 3 months in males and 4 months in females. The female is able to mate with several males and vice versa.

The rate of reproduction in these critters is prolific. The female gives birth an average of 7 times per year. This is possible because she mates again, only 18 hours after giving birth.

The longevity of the Norwegian rat is about 2 years but can reach 4 years in captivity. In general, the male lives longer than the female.

What are the manners of rats?

The Norwegian rat lives in cities, usually in sewers. They can also live in rural areas, in buildings, in abandoned burrows and under homes.

This species of sewer rat is a true omnivore. Its menu is wide and varied: meats, fruits, cereals, vegetables, food reserves, grains stored after harvest, electrical wires, documents, wood, pipes, metals, human waste and even animal faeces. This animal drinks the equivalent of 10% of its weight per day, or 40 grams.

How are rodents harmful?

Once in town, whatever its destination, it easily finds spaces that suit him. In its path, the rat damages the buildings by digging under the foundations. By gnawing on the pipes, it causes water or gas leaks. It can also cause fires when it gnaws at electrical wires and cables.

The intrusion of the Norwegian rat can lead to the infestation of several parasites such as lice, mites and fleas.

The Norwegian rat contaminates food with its feces and can carry diseases such as yellow fever, dysentery or leptospirosis commonly known as rat disease. It is transmitted through its urine.

How do you know you’re infected with rat disease?

Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that is caught by ingesting food contaminated with the Norwegian rat. Signs of this disease appear 3 weeks after contact with the bacteria. Here are the symptoms:

• You’re feverish,
• You have migraine, chills, vomiting, diarrhea and muscle pain,
• You have a rash or even an eye infection.

Your situation may get worse if nothing is done to remedy it. See a doctor quickly for antibiotic treatment

Here are 12 tips to prevent an infestation of Rats from Norway

Don’t wait until you’re invaded to react! Take the small steps now that save you from an invasion of rats in Norway:

• Close all openings to your home’s structure with materials such as mortar or metal sheets;
• Avoid breakage by maintaining sewer lines;
• Put wire mesh on your floor drains;
• Avoid the accumulation of objects and debris;
• Place food and waste in tightly sealed containers;
• Block all water leaks from pipes and faucets;
• Put a layer of gravel around your house. This will prevent rats from digging tunnels in the ground;
• Regularly remove weeds and debris;
• If you have bird feeders, clean them thoroughly;
• Contact a gardener to prune the shrubs for you;
• Install metal mesh at ventilation hatches;
• Avoid storing firewood on or next to your building.

The Norwegian rat easily recognizes foods that are toxic to them. It is therefore better to call on a professional exterminator. They are the only ones who can get rid of it effectively.

Rodent elimination: professional exterminator solutions

The exterminator has several ways to derate your buildings:

• The extermination of Norway rats thanks to rodenticides and anticoagulant anti-rat poisons: they prevent blood from clotting. There are several kinds: liquids, powders, … . As they are very toxic, you need to use them safely for yourself and your pets… So scrupulously follow the manufacturer’s recommendations.
• Their eradication by the use of non-anticoagulant poisons.
• Their destruction by using poison bait and rat.

But pay attention to the exterminator you will call upon. He must be a true professional. Only then will it eliminate a rat invasion from Norway once and for all:

• It gets rid of Norway rats by following Environment Canada regulations, as attested by its permit from the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development with the inscription C5: Extermination.

• He worked methodically: his certified professional technicians in extermination quickly came to the site of the invasion. They then try to find out what types of rats have invaded you. They measure the force of aggression and then determine the most appropriate means for its neutralization.

Finally, it informs you or trains you on the precautions to be taken to protect you from a future infestation of gray rats or surmulots.

• It uses unidentified vehicles and remains discreet in all its interventions.

• He’s offering you a written guarantee on the effectiveness of his treatment against themassive attack of the rats on the docks.

• It knows how to choose insecticides suitable for your infestation and makes it a safe use. Rest assured: if he has a permit from the Quebec Ministry of Sustainable Development, it means that he is paying attention to all of this.

And you, have your buildings ever been attacked by the rats of Norway? Did you manage to get rid of it? If so, how? Tell us in the comments below.