Rat-borne diseases
- Leptospirosis
- Hantavirus
- Babesiosis
- Bovine schistosomiasis.
- Leptospirosis
- Hantavirus
- Babesiosis
- Bovine schistosomiasis.
1. Rattus rattus ( Black Rat or Roof Rat)
APPEARANCE:
Size: 16 to 20 cms
Colour: Grey blackish backs with whitish underbelly.
Weight: 150-250g
Appearance: Protruding nose, pointed ears, big eyes and with a tail superior in length to the combined head and body.
Biology:
Sexual maturity is reached within 2 to 5 months.
Gestation takes about 22 days. On average they produce 4-6 litters a year with 6-8 offspring in each one. They have very limited vision and rely on other well developed senses like hearing, smell, touch and taste.
They are excellent runners, climbers and swimmers.
They eat about 14 -28 grams of food per day and drink 30ml of water.
Habit:
They are nocturnal.They construct their nests outside of buildings but can nest in elevated and quiet places near their food source.They eat practically anything, having a preference for fruit vegetables and cereals.
2. Rattus norvegicus (Norway Rat)
Size: 18-25 cms length.
Weight: 200-500 gms
Appearance: Rounded ears, small beady eyes with tail shorter than the combined head and body (15-21 cms).
BIOLOGY:
Reach sexual maturity in2-5 months with gestation period of about 23 days.
There are about 3-6 litters a year with 7 or 8 offspring in each.
Adults live 6 - 12 months. Limited vision relying on well developed other senses such as smell, hearing, touch and taste. Good runners climbers and swimmers.
They eat about 21-28gms of food a day and drink 15-30ml of water.
APPEARANCE:
Rattus norvegicus are nocturnal in habit.
They eat practically anything preferring fish, meat and cereals.
3. Mus musculs (Mouse)
Length: 6.5-9cms
Weight: 12-30gms
Appearance: Have a longer tail than the head and body together (7 to 10,2 cm).
Biology:
Sexual maturity is reached within35 days.
Gestation period is is around 18-21 days.
Each female can have a litter each 40-50 days.
Limited vision but all other senses are very developed.
Good runners, climbers and if necessary good swimmers.
They eat about 2.8gms and drink 1.5ml of water a day.
Habit:
Very social habits.
Like all rodents the males mark their territory with urine and can turn aggressive to individuals of the same species.
House mice like to live on the inside and eat practically anything although they prefer seeds.
Bandicoot Rats
Genus Bandicota - bandicoot rats
- Lesser bandicoot rat, B. bengalensis
- Greater bandicoot rat, B. indica
- Savile's bandicoot rat, B. savilei
Length: 19 to 33 cms
Weight: 0.5 to 1 Kg
Appearance:
The greater bandicoot rat has dark gray-brown upper parts with profusion of long, black hairs. Sides are gray with a few long, black hairs. Short, light gray fur occurs on the ventral surfaces. It has a dark and naked, scaly tail, and dark feet with light-colored claws. The young are much lighter in colour.
BIOLOGY
A female has between 8 and 10 litters. Young (8–14 per litter) are born blind and naked. Young reach sexual maturity around 50 to 60 days after birth. The lifespan of adults is around a year.
Habit:
Large, aggressive bandicoot rats erect their guard hairs on their backs and emit grunts when disturbed. If caged with other bandicoots, it is likely to fight to death within a few hours. Usually, they occupy the outskirts of human dwellings such as compounds and gardens and are commonly found near garbage bins. Their burrowing habits cause great damage to grounds and flooring, as they can also tunnel through brick and masonry. Their characteristic large burrows give away their presence. They are not fastidious eaters, feeding on household refuse, grain, and vegetables, and are very serious pests in poultry farms. They are also a carrier for many diseases.
B. Bengalensis
BIOLOGY:
Female can have up to 10 litters. Young (10-12 per litter) are born blind and naked. Young reach sexual maturity around 60 days after birth. Lifespan of adults is about 8–9 months.
HABIT:
They are nocturnal or most active at twilight. They construct burrows to nest and bear their litters. The number of bandicoot babies can range from two to 18. Their staple diet is grains, fruit, and invertebrates. They are prone to destroying cultivated crops in fields. They are aggressive burrower and has been reported to make tunnels in concrete cellars.
Rodent Prevention Tips
Prevention methods should be implemented early in order to maintain a rodent-free home. Rodents reproduce rapidly, and small populations become full-blown infestations in very little time.
Keep any possible food sources away from rodents.
-Dry goods such as grains and cereals. These should be kept in sealed metal or glass containers to prevent contamination.
-Fruits and vegetables should be stored properly, and resulting waste should never be left in sinks or on counters.
RODENT Control
Rodents are some of the most adaptable creatures on the planet and can be extremely difficult to exterminate.
Rodent infestations can cause serious damage to infested buildings and local agriculture. Rodents are also known carriers of many diseases and prove a health hazard to humans. Rodent populations grow quickly and steadily. Hence Rodent control is best started prior to infestations.
Within apartment buildings and neighborhoods, coordination of prevention measures may include cleaning efforts and landscape alteration. On an individual level, homes can be rodent-proofed through identifying and sealing as many possible entry points.
FOR INTERNAL RODENT CONTROL
For Internal areas of structure it is always better to adopt Mechanical Trapping Method by using Snap Traps, Glue Boards, Wired Cages, Rodent Bait Station etc.
FOR EXTERNAL RODENT MANAGEMENT
Anticoagulant Rodenticide baiting can be done in surrounding areas of Building and Garden Area. In this activity systematic inspection of Rodent infestations plays important role.