Brown Rat Management and Control

Typically called Brown rats because of their external covering, the common rat that we see in the sewers and the streets is actually called the Norway rat. These rodents are considered as one of the most destructive pest in farms and residences because of their ability to contaminated massive amounts of farm produce and other foodstuff; they also carry in their bodies different sorts of harmful microorganisms which can spread various diseases that can threaten human life.

Recognizing a Brown Rat Infestation Situation

The most obvious giveaway that brown rats are indeed present in an area is their droppings. However, in cases when the droppings are difficult to identify, you can also look for gnawed pieces of paper, fabric or leather (or any other material that can be gnawed). Moreover, granting that these rats have short limbs, they would have to "drag" their bodies unto the surface -- this can leave mud tracks or traces on surfaces which are covered with dust. Brown rats are most likely to be found under piles of debris, along fences, in thick vegetation or under building sewers.

Controlling Brown Rats

There are different approaches which can be used to control brown rats. The most common one is through the combination of sanitation and rat-proof construction. Of course, it could be a different case if brown rats are already infesting in an area. Before these two can be applied, it is already given that you have to eradicate the current brown rat population that lives in the area in question. Once they are gone, you can proceed to sanitizing the place while simultaneously making sure that the area is no longer penetrable by brown rats.

Sanitation

Brown rats and all the other rats feel most welcomed in places with poor sanitation. Thus, garbage which is not properly kept and the presence of heaps or piles of debris are very attractive to rats. With good sanitation, rats will not feel secured to live in an area. Take note that rats want to have the least amount of interaction with humans, thus, it is always in their best interest to live in an area where they can hide in so many different places. But in a sanitized and well-kept area, this advantage is diminished, pushing the rats to leave and live someplace else.

Moreover, proper food keeping is also part of the whole sanitation thing. If you have food items scattered just here and there, rats would consider your place as a good habitat because they wouldn't have to look far to forage for food. It is important that you store you foodstuff in containers which are impenetrable by brown rats. In farms, produce and other goods should be kept in pens which are highly maintained. As much as possible, the heaps and piles should be elevated from the ground -- as this can make the rats feel insecure too.

In areas where livestock are kept, the easiest way to keep the rats away is by regularly checking through the entire place in search for possible rat nests. It is vital that these nests are destroyed before the rats become at ease living in them because once the rats become accustomed to these areas, they will most likely just build new nest in place of the old ones which you have destroyed.

The most vulnerable places to rat infestation are grain mills, grain silos and warehouses. Pay particular attention to these places in order to avoid brown rat infestation. Knowing just how much brown rats can contaminate large amounts of foodstuff, it is imperative that bulk food items be stored in completely rat-proof buildings and containers.