How To Get Rid of Pesky Norway Rats as a Pittsfield, MA, Homeowner 

Boston may routinely top the lists of the most rat-infested cities in Massachusetts, but Norway rats are a notorious pest across the state, including in the Pittsfield area. You could be accidentally attracting these destructive pests that are known for carrying diseases and causing property damage. Professional rodent control can be helpful, but it’s important for homeowners to have preventative strategies in place to achieve lasting control.

To protect your home and family, it’s important to learn how to get rid of Norway rats and what attracts them.

What Is a Norway Rat? 

Norway rats are native to China, but they found their way to the United States in the 1700s by catching rides on international trade ships. Today, these stocky critters can be found across every part of the globe, apart from Antarctica. Norway rats average seven to sixteen inches long, with scaled tails that account for about half of that length. They have hairless ears and brown or dark gray fur with lighter gray-brown or tan bellies. 

These rats are heavy set with blunt muzzles and relatively poor vision. However, they are renowned for their sharp sense of touch, taste, hearing, and smell. Additionally, they are skilled swimmers, jumpers, and climbers.

What Do Norway Rats Eat? 

Norway rats are sometimes called “sewer” rats because of the frequency people find them in sewers, basements, and ground- or underground-level areas. They can call almost any place home, and similarly, they will eat nearly anything. These omnivores are particularly known for their diverse diets, which typically include meats, vegetables, grains, fruits, nuts, eggs, and milk. They will also eat candy, soap, dead animals, and spoiled human foods. 

Are Norway Rats Dangerous? 

A Norway rat infestation could expose your Pittsfield, MA, home to various dangers, including parasites like ticks and fleas, which rats carry inside with them. As a result, infestations require professional rat control to prevent serious ramifications.

These rats are renowned for causing property damage with their constant gnawing. They will chew through walls, insulation, wiring, and structural elements, leading to costly repairs. 

Additionally, contact with their droppings, saliva, and urine can expose people to illnesses like hantavirus, rat-bite fever, and health conditions such as:

• C. hepatica: Although rare in humans, hepatic capillarisasis can be spread from Norway rats to people, causing persistent fever and liver enlargement, among other symptoms. 
• Hepatitis E: This virus causes liver inflammation and symptoms like low-grade fever, nausea, reduced appetite, and abdominal pain. 
• Leptospirosis: This bacterial illness can cause headaches, muscle aches, high fevers, abdominal pain, and rashes.
• Seoul virus: This rat-borne virus is a mild variant of the hantavirus and can cause symptoms like facial flushing, red eyes, and a rash. In severe cases, it can cause low blood pressure, kidney failure, and shock.

Top Ways Pittsfield, MA Homeowners Unknowingly Attract Norway Rats 

Three predominant factors help explain why Norway rats love Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The city’s health department notes that aging infrastructure and increasingly warmer winters are two considerations. Although winters can still be cold and snowy in Pittsfield, climate data shows that average winter air temperatures have increased by more than three degrees Fahrenheit in recent years.

The third factor is the only one that homeowners can significantly control: improper waste management and accidentally providing an ample food supply for rodents. Changing habits like the ones below can help prevent Norway rats from infesting your home and property. 

Leaving Pet Food Outside or Unsealed 

Pet food is often an overlooked source of food for pests like Norway rats and others. Store all pet food, including bird seed, in rodent-proof lidded containers and avoid leaving food-filled dishes outdoors.

Garbage Bins with Easy Access to Food Scraps 

Improper trash storage is like setting out a welcome sign for these creatures. Invest in solid trash receptacles with tight lids and check them frequently to ensure there are no holes that rats could use to get inside them.

Compost Piles and Organic Waste 

What looks like waste to you is dinner for Norway rats. That said, you don’t have to stop composting altogether. Instead, use sturdy, fully enclosed compost bins with tightly fitting lids and keep them off the ground to prevent Norway rats from burrowing inside for a free meal or to build new nests.

Overgrown Landscaping and Clutter 

Tall grass, overgrown shrubbery, and clutter (indoors and outside) all provide ample areas for Norway rats to hide and seek shelter. Once they find easy shelter outside, they will begin looking for ways to gain entry to the indoor spaces, as well.

Outdoor Dining and BBQ Areas 

Remember, Norway rats are opportunistic feeders and will eat just about anything they can scavenge. Crumbs, food residue, and lingering cooking smells serve as a welcome beacon. Clean your grill and BBQ equipment after every use. Also, keep outdoor eating and grilling areas free of debris and covered during periods when you don’t use it to keep rats and other pests out.

Cracks, Holes, and Easy Entry Points into Your Home 

Close any openings, especially those a quarter-inch wide to keep both Norway rats, which can squeeze into openings a half-inch wide, and mice from entering your home. Use durable materials like galvanized sheet metal, aluminum flashing, or hardware cloth. Temporary fixes like steel wool sealed with silicone caulk can also be effective. Pay particularly close attention to door sweeps, damaged weatherstripping, gaps around doors and window frames, and vent covers near the ground.

How To Get Rid of Norway Rats for Good 

Taking preventative measures and a proactive approach is the key to achieving thorough rat control. Additionally, partnering with professionals can help make sure every rat is removed, and your home is thoroughly sanitized. Rodent clean up can restore your home and reduce the dangers of contamination. Furthermore, it can eliminate the pheromones rodents leave behind, which could attract more rats to the area.

Rodent Control in Pittsfield, MA 

Signs of Norway rats include gnaw marks, capsule-shaped droppings, and damaged food products. These nocturnal rodents may create musty odors and strange sounds during the night. If you suspect you have Norway rats, calling a reputable pest control company is critical. Rats reproduce quickly and can be very challenging to eliminate.

Say Goodbye to Norway Rats in Your Pittsfield, MA, Home 

Trying to handle Norway rats on your own can be ineffective at best and dangerous at worst. Restore your peace of mind and keep your home safe with USX Pest Control’s innovative Rodent Plus program. This program offers rodent removal, clean-up, and exclusion services for a three-phase, long-term approach to lasting control. 

What’s more, USX Pest’s licensed, trained technicians will provide a free inspection to help assess why and how Norway rats are getting indoors. That can take a lot of the guesswork out of determining what you are doing to invite them in without realizing it.

Contact USX Pest today to learn more or to schedule your home inspection to get started.