Rats can be a problem

• Rats eat and contaminate food
• Rats damage buildings and other property by their gnawing and burrowing behavior

Transmissible diseases

Rats can spread diseases to people and pets:

• Murine typhus
• Leptospirosis
• Salmonellosis
• Plague
• Rat bite fever
• Other diseases

Signs of infestation

• Droppings that are about 3/4-inch long and 1/8 inch in diameter throughout building
• Urine staining (use black light for better visibility)
• Gnawed doorways and/or food packaging (look for spilled foods)
• Rat tracks in areas with heavy debris, dust, or mud
• Rub marks on walls in heavily traveled areas
• Burrows are usually found in earth banks, along walls, under rubbish and outdoor buildings
• Musty, pungent odor
• Sounds at night such as a scratching, gnawing, and fighting

Prevention

Exterior

• Seal all holes or gaps with areas larger than 1/2 inch on outside buildings
• Maintain outdoor areas clean and free of clutter
• Keep lids to disposal bins closed
• Keep bushes and shrubbery trimmed

Interior

• Know how to spot the signs of rat activity and monitor any troublesome areas.
• Maintain areas free of food debris.
• Remove cardboard and clutter from rooms.
• Seal all electrical conduits, heating ducts, pipes, and pipe chases.
• Install door sweeps and other devices to seal any holes or cracks leading to outside.
• Provide routine maintenance and spot checks to all areas of building to prevent rats getting in.
• Work with pest control company to determine a regular schedule that fits your building needs.

Call a professional extermination company if you suspect there are rats within your facility.

Watch for an increase in rat activity as seasons change.

More about rats

• Eat any type of food, but prefer high-quality foods such as meat and fresh grain
• Are primarily active at night
• Have poor eyesight, but keen sense of taste, hearing and smell
• Can enter structures by gnawing, climbing and jumping
• Can swim through sewers and enter buildings through toilets or broken drainpipes
• Can enter opening larger than 1/2 inch across

Interesting rat facts

• Rats constantly explore and learn about their environment
• Rats memorize the locations of pathways, obstacles, food, water, shelter and other elements in their area
• Rats can quickly detect and tend to avoid new objects placed in a familiar environment

Resources

• Read about pest proofing food service establishments from New York City Health
• Learn about rodents from the Centers for Disease Control
• Learn about rodent management from the Illinois Department of Public Health