There are two main types of rats in texas that homeowners commonly find in their homes garages and attics norway rats and roof rats and both pose a major problem.
Roof rats north texas.
They grow up to eight inches in length and their long scaly tails add another six to eight inches.
The houston pest control professionals at holder s pest solutions would like to discuss a pest you don t hear much about but is very common.
There are several species of squirrels active in texas including gray squirrels and fox squirrels.
The roof rat has a long tail which is longer than the combined length of the head and body.
They reside in your attic measure thirteen to eighteen inches in length weigh up to nine ounces and are slender with almost hairless ears.
Unlike the norway rat this type of texas rat is often found climbing trees in order to access buildings through the roof hence their name.
Roof rats have pointed noses large ears and big beady eyes.
They can access the upper part of any building because they are excellent climbers and can climb up wires vines and even thin or narrow ledges.
The rats in texas that we encounter include the norway rat the yellow nosed cotton rat the hispid cotton rat and the tawny bellied cotton rat among others but the roof rat is the most common in our service area.
Norway rats are large bulky rodents that normally live outdoors nesting in burrows in the ground.
Roof rats are dark brown or black with a contrasting lighter colored underbelly.
Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black.
These texas rats are dark brown or black in color with lighter underbellies.
What is a norway rat.
Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length.
Because they prefer to be high in the air these rodents may climb on power lines or tree branches to get on the roof.
The adult roof rat is about 7 10 inches long and weighs about 5 9 ounces.
The fur of roof rat is smooth while the fur of the norway rat is rough and shaggy.
Here is some important information on these pests as well as tips to help you avoid them in your houston home or business.
Inspecting roof rat.
If you pull the tail back over the body it will reach over its head.
Roof rats or rattus linnaeus are a type of commensal rats who are called so because of their inclination to inhabit the upper portions of any building.
Roof rats can fit through holes as small as one half inch in diameter.
Roof rat the roof rat has a light build making them excellent climbers.
Their undersides are often white gray or black.
