Black Rat
Small creatures with a big appetite for your cables and food (and pesticide)! Biogard offers professional deratization for effective elimination of mice and rats.
Physical characteristics
The black rat, also known as the roof rat, has a slender body 16-22 cm long and a tail longer than its body (19-25 cm). Its fur is dark gray to black on top and lighter underneath. It has large ears that can cover the eyes if pulled forward, and a pointed snout. The eyes are large and prominent. It weighs between 150 and 250 grams.
Biology and behavior
These rats are excellent climbers and prefer high places like attics, trees, and vines. They are primarily active at night. They feed on a variety of foods but prefer fruits, nuts, and grains. Black rats are social animals and live in colonies. They reproduce quickly - the female gives birth to 5-8 young several times a year. Sexual maturity is reached at about 3 months of age. Their lifespan is about 1 year.
Harm
Black rats can cause significant damage to buildings and agricultural crops. They contaminate food and surfaces with urine and feces, transmitting diseases like leptospirosis, Salmonella, and plague. They gnaw on electrical wires, creating a fire risk, and damage insulation and wooden structures. In agricultural areas, they destroy crops and contaminate feed. Additionally, they can cause allergic reactions in some people.
What you can do
Eliminate access to food by storing products in metal or glass containers. Seal all openings and cracks in walls, roofs, and the building's foundation. Trim tree branches that touch the building. Maintain cleanliness and order, removing potential shelters. Use baited traps in areas where you have noticed signs of rats. Install screens on ventilation openings and chimneys.
Professional control
Our pest control specialists from Biogard offer effective solutions for black rat control. We use a combination of mechanical traps and modern rodenticides placed in secured deratization bait stations. Our pest control services include a thorough inspection to identify access and nesting sites, as well as recommendations for sanitary improvements and sealing openings. We also offer long-term monitoring and prevention programs for effective deratization.