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Rats in Madison, Wisconsin

Rats are rodents that can pose serious threats to human health and property. They can spread diseases, contaminate food, and damage structures. Typically, in Madison, WI we will only see the Norway rat.

Norway Rats

The Norway rat is a large rodent that has a brown or gray fur, a blunt snout, small ears, and a scaly tail. It can reach up to 16 inches long nose to tail and weigh between 7 and 18 ounces. It is native to Asia but has spread to almost every continent. It is one of the most common rodents in urban areas and can adapt to various environments. It is also a social rodent, which means it lives in groups and communicates with each other.

The Norway rat is a problem for several reasons:

It will eat almost anything, including grains, meats, fish, and processed foods. It will also scavenge on garbage, pet food, bird seed, or compost. It can consume up to one ounce of food per day and store excess food in its burrows or nests.
A female Norway rat can produce up to 12 litters of 6 to 12 babies per year. A litter can be born in as little as 21 days and can reach maturity in 3 months. This means that a single pair of rats can produce over one hundred offspring in a year.
It will contaminate your food and water sources with its urine and feces. It can also spread many germs and diseases, such as plague, typhus, leptospirosis, and salmonella. These diseases can affect humans and pets and can cause serious health problems.
It will gnaw on wood, insulation, wires, plastic, and other materials. It can damage your structure, furniture, appliances, and even cause fires. It can also create holes and nests in your walls, ceilings, floors, and attics.

You can identify a Norway rat by its appearance, behavior, and signs of activity. Some clues that you have a Norway rat infestation are:

Droppings: Norway rat droppings are large, dark brown, capsule-shaped pellets that are about 3/4 inch long. You may find them on walls, under furniture, in cabinets, or near food sources.
Tracks: Norway rat tracks are large footprints that may be visible on dusty or dirty surfaces. You may also see tail marks or drag marks between the footprints.
Gnaw marks: Norway rat gnaw marks are large holes or scratches that may appear on food packages, woodwork, wires, or other materials. They may also leave behind wood shavings or plastic fragments.
Nests: Norway rat nests are made of shredded paper, fabric, insulation, or other soft materials. They are usually hidden in dark and secluded places, such as basements.

Roof Rats

Luckily, these rats are not typically found in the Madison area like their cousins the Norway rat. They are also known as black rats or ship rats, because they were introduced to new regions by ships in the past. Roof rats are not native to Madison, Wisconsin, but they can be found in some areas of the country where the climate is warmer and more humid.

The roof rat has smooth brown or black-gray fur, with a lighter-colored underside. It has a pointed nose, hairless ears, and large eyes. Its tail is scaly and naked, and always longer than its head and body combined. It is about 13 inches long, including the tail, and weighs about 8 ounces.

The roof rat is omnivorous, meaning it eats both plants and animals. It prefers fruits, nuts, seeds, and grains, but it will also feed on insects, snails, eggs, and small animals. It is very agile and can climb trees, fences, wires, and walls.

The best way to handle rodent issues is to call a professional pest control company. If you are experiencing rat troubles, call Kwik Kill Pest Control at 608-228-8899 to address your rat problems for your home or business.

Kwik Kill Services to Control Rats

Additional Resources

https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/rats/pest-notes/
https://entomology.ca.uky.edu/ef617
http://www.biokids.umich.edu/critters/Rattus_norvegicus/

Rats Exterminator

There are many types of common pests that routinely invade homes in the Madison area. At Kwik Kill, we are experts in solving each one of these unique pest control problems.

As the season’s change, so do the types of pests that can invade your home. We have pest control solutions for any time of year, whether it’s raining, snowing or sunny outside.

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