Rats and Mice

House Mouse

A very adaptable species, the house mouse often lives in close association with humans and therefore is termed one of the "commensal" rodents along with Norway and roof rats. Mice can damage / destroy materials by gnawing contaminating stored food products, transmitting diseases as carriers or vectors. The easiest way to determine if mice are in your home is the presence of fecal material (droppings). Mouse droppings are commonly black in color and resemble grains of rice.

Signs of infestation:

• Gnaw marks
• Droppings
• Tracks/Footprints
• Damaged goods - mice prefer seeds or cereals

Norway Rat

Norway rats live in close association with people. They are primarily nocturnal in habit and are very cautios. They burrow to make nests under buildings and other structures, beneath concrete slabs, along stream banks, around ponds, in garbage dumps, and at other locations where suitable food, water, and shelter are present. In urban or suburban areas they live in and around residences, in cellars, warehouses, stores, slaughterhouses, docks, and in sewers. Although they can climb, Norway rats tend to inhabit the lower floors of multi-story buildings.

Roof Rat

Roof rats are more aerial than Norway rats in their habitat selection and often will live in trees or on vine covered fences. Landscaped residential or industrial areas provide good habitat, as do washes and storm drains. . Being agile climbers, Roof rats frequently enter buildings from the roof or accesses near utility lines which they use to travel from area to area. They have been found in sewer systems, but this is not very common.