A Rat Is A Rat Is A Rat… Or Is It?

When it comes to rats in Middle Tennessee you may be thinking a rat is a rat is a rat. Unfortunately that is not quite accurate; there are actually two common rats in Nashville and throughout the region and they are the Norway rat and the roof rat. Read on to discover more about these dangerous pests including what the differences are between the two and how you can keep rats out of your home or business.

Though they are both classified as rodents and are very similar, there are a few distinguishing characteristics that set Norway rats apart from roof rats. First off, Norway rats are brown to dark gray in coloring and are approximately 10 inches long, not including the tail, which is another 10 inches in length. Roof rats on the other hand have fur that is black or brownish and are a bit shorter at 8 inches in length with slightly longer tails.

In addition to their appearances, these rats have unique habits and skill sets. For instance, where roof rats are adroit climbers but poor swimmers, Norway rats are usually seen at ground level because they are poor climbers but excel at swimming and are often seen in the water. As their ability to climb might suggest, roof rats live in higher levels of buildings (mainly commercial ones in our region) and on occasion in trees. Norway rats, on the other hand, prefer burrows outside or basements and lower levels of both homes and businesses in Nashville and Mid-Tennessee.

When it comes to keeping these rodents out, behavior modification is required. This applies to both residential dwellings and commercial facilities. Here a few ways you can keep mice and rats out of your home or business:

• Seal cracks and fill holes in the walls or foundation.

• Keep doors closed when not in use (this includes garage doors, entrances near loading docks).

• Maintain excellent sanitation practices that ensure spills and food debris are attended to immediately, garbage is emptied frequently and store properly, and kitchen sinks are free of dirty dishes, pots and pans.

• Trim tree branches so that they do not create a bridge to higher levels of the structure.

Now, if you’ve already spotted signs of a rat problem including droppings, rub or chew marks, the Nashville pest control pros at All-American Pest Control are ready to help. Serving Middle Tennessee including Franklin and Hendersonville, we have the knowledge and experience to get rid of rats and mice in your home or business. Contact us today to learn more about our highly effective rodent control!