Roof Rats In Ohio

Rattus rattus linnaeus is black with a gray belly.

Roof rats in ohio.

To make an ideal home roof rats need food water and a cozy nesting site so clean out wood piles rake up fallen vegetation and fruit and do not leave pet food or water outside especially overnight. The roof rat has a long tail which is longer than the combined length of the head and body. 1 the black rat r. If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head.

Roof rats prefer to nest in locations off the ground and rarely dig burrows for living quarters if off the ground sites exist. Ohio roof rats identification three subspecies have been named and these are generally identified by their fur color. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail.

To prevent rats from entering your home seal up any holes or cracks larger than a quarter. Roof rats become sexually mature between two and five months producing four to six litters per year that consist of six to eight young each. 2 the alexandrine rat r. How to prevent a roof rat infestation.

Inspecting roof rat. Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. The adult roof rat is about 7 10 inches long and weighs about 5 9 ounces. If roof rats are seen exposed it often indicates that their hiding spaces are all filled by other rats or that they have been disturbed such as by construction.

Their undersides are often white gray or black. The common lifespan of these rodents is about one year. Droppings are another good indicator of roof rat activity. In dense populations these rodents will establish a social hierarchy wherein dominant males mate more than subordinate males.

There are many species of rats found in detroit columbus cleveland and throughout the united states but two rat species are of particular concern as pests roof rats and norway rats both are considered to be commensal rodents meaning that they share the table with humans and are thought to be among a small minority of rat species to benefit from this type of relationship.