Pet rats can live for four years, but a rat in the wild will live for 1 to 3 years – and most of the time, won’t last more than a year. Overall rat longevity varies by species and is highly affected by the availability of food and water and the prevalence of predators.
Rats are social creatures and rapid breeders. Even if they only live a single year, they can leave behind several litters. Understanding and interrupting the life cycle of invasive rats can help keep them from becoming a larger problem in your home or business. Here’s what you should know:
Rat Life Cycle
Litters average from 6 to 10 pups who adapt and mature quickly. Rats come into the world blind, hairless, and helpless, but they don’t stay that way for long. The pup’s eyes open after 12 days and within three weeks they will be fully grown and weaned. This means a whole batch of young, eager and hungry rats set loose on the world in a very short time.
Rats reach sexual maturity after three months. They gestate their young for 21 days and can become pregnant again the day after giving birth. This isn’t good for them, but it can happen.
On average, a female rat will produce five litters in a year. Multiply that by five to ten pups per litter and you’re left with 25 to 50 new rats per female per year. This doesn’t take into account the offspring those new rats will produce once they reach their sexual maturity in three months, either. Any way you slice it, that’s a whole lot of rats.
Life of an Adult Rat
Adult rats spend most of their life foraging and mating. This makes them formidable pests. They are nocturnal animals who seek new food sources by night. Their heightened sense of smell and ability to squeeze into small areas has allowed them to integrate all too comfortably in urban areas where they eat nearly anything.
Though rats can live up to three years in the wild, it’s unlikely they’ll live longer than a year. The most common causes of death are predators, disease, and harsh conditions.
How Can I Tell If I Have Rats?
The two most common types of rats in Michigan are the Norway rat or brown rat and the Roof rat or black rat. They are noisy and messy invaders. Signs that there may be rats living near you include:
- Feces. Rat droppings resemble dark-colored grains of rice. Look for them in basements and crawl spaces, especially along walls and corners.
- Bite marks. Rats need to constantly chew to keep their teeth from overgrowing. They’ll gnaw on walls, floorboards, mesh, wiring… and pretty much anything else they can get their teeth around. This behavior is one of their most dangerous, as they can start electrical fires if they chew through wiring.
- Scratching and squeaking sounds. Rats climb and chew within walls, so you might hear them scratching and squeaking in there. Rats tend to hide during the day and resume activity at night, so you’re most likely to hear these sounds after dark.
- Nests. Rats build nests in lofts, attics, or basements using foraged materials like insulation or cardboard. Check for these nests in secluded, cramped, and hidden places like beneath workbenches or shelving, in hidden corners, or even in ventilation systems
If you observe any of these signs, it’s time for a plan to remove the infestation before your rat population grows.
How Do I Keep Rats from Living in My Home?
Did you know that rat teeth are stronger than some types of metal? They rank at 5.5 on the Mohs hardness scale, while iron, copper, and human teeth are rated at 5. Conventional sealants and even concrete are no match for those teeth. Rats are also very agile and can climb onto roofs and slip under doors and into cracks ¼” wide – anything they can fit their heads through, they can squeeze the rest of their bodies through. Don’t underestimate a determined rat’s ability to breach your perimeter!
Keeping rats out of your home or business means sealing your perimeter against invasion – a process called rodent exclusion. Here are a few preventive steps you can take:
- Seal cracks and holes in your home’s exterior.
- Cover chimneys, vents, and fans with mesh.
- Seal windows and door frames.
- Repair broken screens.
- Clear leaf and brush piles in your yard. This eliminates rodent harborage, or places where rodents can hide.
Also, take care to store food and trash properly! Rats are dirty animals that carry worms, ticks, and diseases. They contaminate any food source they get into.
- Secure trash in tightly-locking bins.
- Store food in airtight containers made of metal or plastic.
Call Griffin Pest Solutions for Rodent Control Services in Michigan
Rats may not live for a very long time, but during their short lives, they can do a lot of damage. With the right combination of rat control and prevention, you can reduce the average lifespan of rats in your home or business to zero. Whether you’re dealing with a current infestation or you want to get ahead of the next one, the Griffin Pest Solutions team is on your side!
Get in touch with us today to get started with a free quote!
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