Roof Rats are the most common species of rats found in attic infestations in Central Florida. It is critical to nip any rat infestations in the bud! Female rats can produce up to 20 offspring per year. This high rate of reproduction is what makes them such an efficient pest. Additionally, their lifespan is 2-3 years. Any small rat infestation can quickly spiral out of control! Rats can wreak havoc on homes and businesses alike. Most rats will eat almost anything available to them and will chew wiring, pipes, insulation, walls, and more. They also leave droppings, potentially spreading disease. Furthermore, they leave a gross stench behind!

Food Habits 

The food habits of roof rats outdoors in some respects resemble those of the common tree squirrels, since they usually prefer a wide variety of fruit and nuts. They also feed on a variety of vegetative parts of ornamental and native plant materials. Like Norway rats, they are omnivorous and, if necessary, will feed on almost anything. In food-processing and storage facilities, they will feed on nearly all food items, though their food preferences may differ from those of Norway rats. They do very well on feed provided for domestic animals such as swine, dairy cows, and chickens, as well as on dog and cat food. There is often a correlation between rat problems and the keeping of dogs, especially where dogs are fed outdoors. Roof rats usually require water daily, though their local diet may provide an adequate amount if it is high in water content. Part of the reason they are so good at reproducing is that they are great at finding food sources, and not being picky.  The roof rats will look for preferred food, but will not hesitate to get full off of just about anything, keeping them healthy and ready for more offspring. If you live in your house, a Roof Rat can find a way to live in it as well, call our experts today if you hear noises in the attic!

Reproduction of Roof Rats

The young are born in a nest about 21 to 23 days after initial conception. At their birth they are hairless, and their eyes are closed completely shut. The typical five to eight young rats in the litter develop rapidly, growing hair within a week. Between nine and fourteen days, their eyes open, and they begin to explore for food and move around near their nest. In the third week they begin to take solid food from anywhere the little rats can find. The number of litters depends on several factors; the area with nearness to the limit of their climatic range, availability of nutritious food for the offspring, density of the current local rat population, and the age of the rat. Typically, three or more litters are produced annually. The young roof rats may continue to nurse until four or five weeks old. By this time they have learned what is acceptable to eat by experimenting with potential food items and by imitating what their mother eats. Young rats generally cannot be trapped until about 1 month old because of their tiny size and great mobility to escape. At about 3 months of age they are completely independent of the mother and are reproductively mature. Breeding seasons vary in different areas to a large degree. In tropical or semitropical regions like we have in some parts, the season may be nearly year-round. Usually the peaks in breeding occur in the spring and fall. Roof rats prefer to nest in locations off of the ground and rarely dig burrows for living quarters if off-the-ground sites exist.  Finding a roof to live in is always the perfect solution for roof rats.  Making sure your home and attic is sealed up at all times will give you the best chance of avoiding a huge rat infestation. You can see rats can quickly spread and cause havoc for any family. Roof rats can easily multiply into the thousands in a very short time.  Call a professional Roof Rat expert like Attic Animal Removal today!

How do Roof Rats Feed?

Roof Rats usually begin searching for food shortly after the sun has gone down. If the food is in an exposed area and too large to be eaten quickly, but not too large to be moved, they will usually carry it to a hiding place before eating it. Many rats may cache or hoard considerable amounts of solid food, which they eat later. Such caches may be found in a dismantled wood pile, attic, or behind boxes in a garage. This is why they can last without a food source for a long time.  They are built to survive and are very difficult to get rid of without a professional rat removal team.  Some roof rat populations are skittish and will modify their travel routes and feeding locations if severely and frequently disturbed. Disturbances such as habitat modifications should be avoided until the rat population is under control. Call Attic Animal Removal today before they begin storing food and making your home a nest.  If you are hearing noises at night or think you may just need a check up, please do not hesitate to call for a free estimate!