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At least
two Kyrene Corridor residents have
reported spotting roof rats again this
year, meaning the pesky critters may be
considering a return to our
neighborhoods.
If you
want to discourage this recurring
invasion of your yard, the time to act
is now by eliminating food sources and
potential shelter that are preferred by
these pests.
Roof rats
have been around a long time in the
coastal areas of the U.S. They are
thought to have migrated originally from
Southeast Asia and were first sighted in
the Phoenix Arcadia neighborhood in
2001.
Arcadia
residents took an aggressive, unified
approach to addressing the control of
roof rats by implementing strategies
that would help eliminate food sources
and nesting places. The Arcadia
Neighbor-to-Neighbor Campaign is
outlined at the website
www.paceley.net/n2n/.
Roof rat characteristics
Size:
Roof rat (black rat, ship rat) adult
head-plus-body length is 6-8 inches;
tail length is 7-10 inches. Weight is
about 5-9 ounces, and can be as much as
12 ounces.
Characteristics: Soft, smooth fur;
pointed muzzle; large eyes; large,
almost naked ears, which can be pulled
over the eyes. Scaly, dark tail is
longer than combined head plus body
length.
Color:
Brown with black mixed in, to gray, to
black on top with white; gray or black
underside. Droppings: Adult droppings
are up to a half inch long, and are
spindle shaped with pointed ends.
Where
found: In the U.S. Rattus rattus is most
common in coastal and southern states,
especially near seaports.
Habitat: Outdoors: roof rats nest in
high places such as trees, but sometimes
in burrows under plants. Indoors: they
nest in high places in structures, but
sometimes in basements, sewers or under
buildings. They spend 90 percent of
their lives four feet or more off the
ground. They live in woodpiles, dense
vegetation such as oleanders, attics and
ceilings.
Food: Roof rats eat almost anything, but
they prefer fruit, vegetables and cereal
products. They get their water often
from their food. They eat a lot at one
time, and will return to that place time
after time. If they do not like a food
or bait they quickly become shy of it.
Biology: Roof rats mature in 2-5 months,
and are adults for 9-12 months.
Pregnancy takes 3 weeks. Newborns get
hair after 1 week, open eyes after about
two weeks, and are weaned at 3-4 weeks.
Female has 4-6 litters per year, with
6-8 young per litter. They have keen
hearing, smell, taste and touch (long
whiskers), but bad vision, and are
colorblind. They are good at running,
climbing, jumping and even swimming.
They are nocturnal and explore a lot,
but are cautious and shy away from new
objects. They travel during twilight and
at night along power lines, trees and
roofs.
Damage:
Roof rats gnaw, eat stored food, and
transmit disease by droppings and urine,
bites and the fleas and mites in their
fur. They can cause extensive damage by
chewing on wiring and rubber hoses.
Invasion:
An opening larger than a half inch
allows entry of roof rats into
buildings. They can enter a home through
any opening larger than a nickel.
Roof rat prevention
• Use
stucco diamond mesh to seal holes and
vents leading into homes and sheds.
• Store
bulk foods in sealed, rat-proof
containers.
• Don't
leave pet food or birdseed out,
especially overnight.
•
Promptly pick up any fallen fruit from
citrus trees.
•
Harvest citrus crops promptly and
completely.
• Keep
oleanders, woodpiles and yards cleaned
and pruned.
• Keep
dog feces picked up.
• Keep
garbage container lids tightly closed.
Kyrene
Corridor residents should report
sightings to Maricopa County
Environmental Services at (602) 506-6616
or
http://www.maricopa.gov/envsvc/COMMUNIT/Complain.asp
. The online Roof Rat Reporting Form
provides an easy way to notify county
environmental officers.
Your
neighborhood association also should be
notified. |
