Roof Rats Bc

It is immediately distinguished from the introduced norway and roof rats by its bushy tail.

Roof rats bc.

Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus. Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered. Their undersides are often white gray or black.

It is a large gentle squirrel like rodent. Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases. If using spring loaded traps for rats bait three of them in a row without setting them. The bushy tailed woodrat is the only native rat found in canada.

Its origins go to the tree forests of southeast asia and are adept for climbing vines wires and narrow ledges. There are two types of rats in bc. Black rats are a rodent which was most likely introduced to north america by early european settlers and explorers in the middle of the 16th century. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length.

The roof rat also called gray bellied rat white bellied rat alexandrine rat black rat and ship rat. Rats are not native to bc and were introduced via boat traffic in the mid 1800s. They are located in the coastal areas of the usa since they do not adapt well to cooler temperatures. They are also known as roof rat ship rat house rat alexandrine rat and old english rat.

From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases. Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. Roof rat droppings are about 13 mm 1 2 inch long with pointed ends and norway rat droppings are about 19mm 3 4 inch long with blunt ends. They tend to thrive only in urban areas where food is abundant or where winters are mild.