Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases.
Roof rat citrus damage pictures.
Ecology of roof rats and native rats.
Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail.
Roof rats are especially fond of avocados and citrus and they often eat fruit that is still on the tree.
According to the university of california statewide integrated pest management program roof rats are especially fond of avocados and citrus and often eat fruit that is still on the tree.
Their undersides are often white gray or black.
Fruit rats or roof rats as they re commonly called thrive in warm fruit bearing areas.
As climbers roof rats are more likely to cause structural damage in homes as they chew on wood and wires.
In nut orchards roof rats often nest around the base of trees.
Too much citrus draws in roof rats.
These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus.
Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length.
The roof rat can appear similar to the norway rat native arizona pack rat neotoma.
By teri carnicelli the overabundance of citrus this winter and spring may seem like a happy circumstance for those who enjoy spending hours squeezing oranges and grapefruits or making tasty desserts with lemons and limes.
Other identifying traits include their pointed noses hairless ears and dark fur with light colored underbellies.
While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can.
Roof rats are frequent visitors to yards and homes across the country.
These rodents prefer to consume fruits sometimes referred to as the fruit rat or citrus rat and nuts although roof rats are omnivorous and will feed on almost anything available to them.
Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black.
From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases.
Roof rats are food hoarders stashing supplies of food such as seeds and nuts.
Their bodies are seven or eight inches in length though their bald scaly tails add up to ten more inches.
Table 1 provides a brief description of the physical similarities and differences among these rodents.
In livestock feed yards and barns roof rats often burrow.
Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered.
