Part of rat control relies on identifying the types of rats you’re dealing with. Types of rats in Melbourne, FL can vary widely. It matters because the type indicates to us the best and fastest form of rat control that can be employed. Some rats will hide away in the attic, while others will burrow into the ground.

Some are small and may require traps for 3-inch rats. Others may be well over a foot in length and require a different kind of trap, or even a different strategy altogether. These are the types of rats in Melbourne, FL, and more importantly – how to recognize the kind of rat control problem you have on your hands:

Roof Rats (Black Rats)

Of all the types of rats in Melbourne, FL, the roof rat is the most common. You might also know them as Fruit Rats, Citrus Rats, Palm Rats, or Black Rats. These guys are vegetarian, but they’re not too strict about it if they find meat lying around.

The reason they’re such a prolific pest is that they reproduce quickly. A female roof rat can have 20 offspring a year. You can recognize them as the smallest common rat – only 3-8 inches in length. They’ll look black or dark brown. Their droppings will be pointy on both ends. They’ll look “sharp,” which is rare in rats. They love nesting in roofs, attics, and upper crawl spaces. You may also notice grease marks left behind by their slick, oily fur. They will look smoother than most other rats.

Norway Rats

Norway rats are huge – up to 16 inches in length. They look unkempt, like their fur’s been ruffled – not like the slick roof rat. They’ll eat just about anything, and are very shy during the day. If you see one, you may notice that their tails appear short in relation to the size of their body.

Their droppings are often large for a rat, and you may notice them in basements and cellars. These are burrowing rats, and so will keep close to the ground when they nest in a home.

Wood Rats (Pack Rats)

The wood rat is one of the least common types of rats in Melbourne, FL because it doesn’t venture this far south in large numbers. It’s more of a problem in the northern part of Florida, but we still find them from time to time when getting rid of rats.

These are some of the worst rats to find because they will steal small items from all over the house. This is one reason the term “pack rat” was invented. This habit means they’ll roam all over a house and leave droppings…well, everywhere. They’ll grow up to 7 inches long, but they’re different from other rats because they’re furrier and look softer. They come in many colors – grey, brown, black, and mixtures in between. In fact, people have even mistaken them for loose hamsters or gerbils.

All rats are disease vectors that can put a family or business at risk. It’s important to deal with them immediately, or their numbers can quickly grow. If you’re not sure what kind of rat you have, that’s OK. That’s what Slug-a-Bug is here for. We can identify the type of rat you have, their number, and the strategy that will get them out of your hair the quickest.