Help Me Keep Norway Rats Out Of My Knoxville Home

Norway rats are one of the most common home-invading pests in Knoxville, Tennessee. The chances you’ll deal with them at one point or another are quite high. While both mice and rats are frequent rodent concerns in the area, Norway rats, in particular, have a difficult and dependent relationship with humans.

Over hundreds of years, Norway rats have learned that people provide their three basic needs to survive: shelter, food, and water. Because of this, these rodents have adapted to living alongside humans in rural, suburban, and urban spaces. Their ability to swim also makes them well-suited to many environments, and this is how they were able to survive on ships and spread throughout the world.

In this guide, you’ll learn how to identify, prevent, and remove these difficult pests.

Identifying Norway Rats Around Your Home 

Norway rats, also known as brown rats, are a frequent cause for home pest control assistance, and learning how to identify them in the first place can help you find infestations early on. 

These rats are brownish-grey with light cream underbellies, and they have scaly tails and small black eyes. They are larger than mice and can reach up to 16 inches long, including their tails. You can also tell them apart from mice because they have blunter faces and smaller ears. 

Just How Dangerous Are Norway Rats?

Brown rats bring with them a long list of potential concerns as they are both destructive and able to cause health issues. They have ever-growing teeth that they keep ground down by constantly chewing. They will destroy everything from drywall and furniture to plastic and electrical wires, which can cost you a lot of money in repairs over time.

Also, the larger concern with Norway rats is that they bring with them so many health and safety risks such as:

• They carry many parasites such as fleas and ticks. These parasites often spread diseases such as Lyme disease or tularemia. 
• They can spread illnesses, including salmonellosis and rat-bite fever.
• Their urine, feces, and fur can lead to many respiratory issues, including asthma attacks and allergies.

Given the risks rats pose to both your health and your property, it is essential to address rat infestations as soon as they are apparent - or even before. 

How Can You Prevent Norway Rats In Knoxville?

Norway rats are unfortunately a rather difficult pest to completely deter. Because they can chew through so many materials, they can find ways inside, and they are also able to squeeze through holes as small as a quarter. But, you can still follow these five steps to help reduce the likelihood of an infestation:

1. Seal up any holes in the walls and foundation of your home using steel wool and caulk.
2. Get rid of excess humidity around the property by fixing leaky plumbing.
3. Focus on good cleanliness habits, especially in kitchens, by wiping up food and drink spills right away and keeping the kitchen clean.
4. Place lids on all garbage cans both inside and out.
5. Seek pest control help for ongoing rodent control.

The professionals at Urbanex can offer both advice and assistance with safeguarding your home from rats. 

What Should You Do If You Already Have Norway Rats?

When faced with an existing rat infestation, trying to remove these pests can be dangerous and ineffectual. The simplest and most effective way to remove Norway rats is with help from Urbanex. We offer free inspections, so it’s easy to get started with our rodent control options. Just give us a call today to learn more.

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