Rats have become a major pest problem in Maine, and the problem is growing. “Rats Are On The Rise Around Maine” was published by Mainepublic.org, writer Abigail Curtis with Bangor Daily News. “Caribou residents terrorized by rats as big as Guinea pigs” Channel 13 WGME news with Melissa Lizotte. You are one click away from facing the truth, that rats throughout Maine are out of control in many areas and pose a huge risk to you. They are highly destructive, carry and transmit disease to both humans, pets and livestock.
Take a quick look at identifying the Norway Rat, learn what risks they pose to your home, family and animals, why the problem is increasing and most importantly, what you can do about it.
Identifying Rats in Maine.
The Norway Rat also known as the brown or sewer rat is the only species of rat in the state of Maine. Fully grown their bodies are approximately 7-10 inches plus their tails which are around 6-8 inches. A rat can be from tip nose to end of tail, up to 18 inches long and weigh as much as a pound. The fur is often brownish-red. but can be grayish brown or black. Their droppings are about ½”-3/4” long, which is about double the size of mouse droppings.
Mistaken identity- young rats can be mistaken for mice or voles. Young rats have large feet and heads in proportion to their bodies. Some people mistake Voles for rats, if they see them quickly run across the lawn, or in wooded areas. Voles are larger than mice, but not as large as rats, and have short noses and short tails and live and tunnel in the ground.
What are the risks of rats to your home?
They cause damage to homes, your belongings and other structures. Rats chew holes in walls, wood, plastics, even some metals. They also get into and chew up electrical wiring, insulation, gas and water lines to name a few. It has been stated that 25% of all unknown fires may be caused by a rat’s destructive habits.
Do rats pose a health risk to me and my family?
- They can chew through many types of food containers, eat and contaminate food.
- Leave behind feces and urine in your pantry, on food packaging and canned food lids.
- They bite!
- Damage gardens and leave behind disease on the produce or damage the produce by feeding on it
- Transmit diseases to humans and animals: 3 types of the Plaque, caused by the bacteria Yersinia pestis from fleas on rodents, trichinosis, salmonellosis, ratbite fever, suplague, murine typhus, hantaviral diseases, HPS, Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome, rickettsialpox, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis, and listeriosis. Some of these diseases can result in fatalities.
- Rat dander can cause problems with people who have asthma
I saw a rat outside, should I be concerned? Yes!
Outside they live in dense vegetation, bushes and even trees but are known to burrow in the ground, landscaping and gardens. They are highly intelligent and capable of memorizing mazes, paths and have a keen sense of smell. They can learn from experiences.
Your home is very attractive to rats where they can find food, water, a warm place to nest and breed, especially as the weather turns cold outside. Norway rats often stay close to ground level or in basements, but they are not limited to living out their existence in your basement. They can easily chew their way into other parts of your home, garage, attic, barns, chicken houses, sewage systems, recycle bins, wood piles etc. They can enter through a toilet, broken drain, chimneys, plumbing rooftop vents, pet doors, crawl spaces, around pipes, loose weatherproofing, soffits etc. Norway rats can fit through a hole as small as ½” in diameter. If they can’t fit, they will just chew the hole bigger. Seal up any hole larger than ¼ in. They are skilled climbers, so consider entry points at all levels.
If your property has food scraps tossed outside, easily accessible open trash, pet or farm animal feed left uneaten or not stored in rat proof containers, outdoor debris, bird feeders near your home, etc., it is like a welcome sign inviting them in. Likewise clutter around the home provides them a place to hide, nest and inhibits successful inspection for signs of rats. It is important to make your home and buildings less appealing to rats. Sanitation is one key fundamental component of rodent eradication.
A spotlessly clean, organized, high priced home can still fall victim to rats. Outdoor rat populations increase, and their territories spread from neighboring properties. Once a rat builds a nest, their territory range is within 50-150 feet radius of the nest. If all their needs are met (food, water, warm shelter) they have no reason to leave your home.
Why did the problem get out of hand so quickly?
Mature Norway rats have approximately 6 litters a year and their gestational periods are only 21-23 days. Each litter can have up to 12 pups. One female rat has potential to produce up to 72 pups a year. Each female pup in a litter reaches reproductive maturity in about 3 months. It is easy to see how a home can become infested quickly. They travel from home to home, city to city and in between.
What’s a person to do?
It is important to get ahead of the problem. Be ready to react, at first sight, signs or sounds that rodents are present on your property before they become home intruders. Once they invade, the problem gets bigger and a plan of attack must be aggressively undertaken. Not only do you need to eliminate the rats, but it is also imperative you learn how to properly clean up their urine and droppings and disinfect your home to minimize health risks.
Norway rats are difficult to get rid of. Home defense efforts will likely be unsuccessful. Entrances must be sealed up, interior and exterior traps and bait stations placed, monitored and routinely maintained. A plan of action customized to make your home less attractive must be addressed. If it were an easy process, Maine would not have the rat problem that exists today. Green Shield Pest Solutions and our staff of trained technicians are ready and professionally equipped to come to your aid. Don’t delay, call us today, at 207-815-1003 or contact us through our website https://gshieldpest.com/ for a free quote.