Norway rats, also known as brown rats, typically range from 7 to 9 inches in body length, excluding the tail. With their tails included, they can grow up to 15 to 17 inches long. They have coarse, brownish fur, scattered black hairs, and a lighter-colored underside. Their muzzles are blunt, and their ears are relatively small and close to their heads. Norway rats aren’t the only brown rats that cause trouble in Arizona. Pack rats are also common, but you can usually tell these two rodents apart by looking at their tails. Pack rats have furry tails.
Norway rats are flexible in choosing where they will nest. In the wild, they often burrow near riverbanks, under wood piles, or beneath structures. They are tunneling rodents. Around homes, they prefer ground-level floors and look for secluded, dark areas that offer shelter from predators and extreme temperatures. Any quiet spot with easy access to food and water will do nicely.
As omnivores, Norway rats aren’t picky. They eat seeds, fruits, nuts, and insects when outdoors. Inside homes, they prefer to feed on pantry goods, pet food, and scraps in trash cans. Their strong teeth can gnaw through many materials, giving them access to packaged foods you may have thought were safely stored.
Yes, Norway rats breed incredibly fast. A single female Norway rat can produce several litters each year, each containing up to a dozen offspring. With ideal conditions—plentiful food, water, and shelter—a small population can grow into a sizable infestation quickly.
While Norway rats tend to shy away from direct contact with humans, they pose indirect threats. Their droppings and urine can spread diseases such as salmonella and leptospirosis. They can contaminate food and cooking surfaces when they crawl across them, and their constant gnawing can damage wiring, pipes, and structural elements, sometimes creating fire hazards or causing costly damage.
Norway rats can tunnel in soil, jump over a foot into the air, and compact their bodies to squeeze through small gaps. They find small gaps between foundations and exterior walls, crawl through vents, enter around utility lines, slip under poorly sealed doors, or squeeze through damaged screens. If there is a gap the width of a quarter’s diameter, a Norway rat can likely squeeze through it.
These rats seek accessible food sources, standing water, and safe harborage. Pet food left out overnight, unsecured trash cans, compost piles, fruit trees with fallen fruit, and cluttered storage areas are all magnets for these pests. If your yard provides an easy meal and a hiding place, they’ll stick around—and eventually head indoors.
You'll likely know if you have Norway rats on your property, but here’s what to keep an eye out for:
If you notice these signs, it’s time to take action. Contact your Termio Pest Control service team for assistance.
If you’ve detected Norway rat activity in your home, skip the DIY rodent control methods and contact Termio Pest Control for assistance. Our locally owned and operated pest control company has been helping homeowners in the Phoenix area resolve rodent problems since 2017, and we can help you, too!
Effective prevention starts with making your home and property less appealing to these rodents. Here are a few suggestions to get you started:
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