There are two types of rats that we find in Portland area homes.  The first is the Norway Rat, it's a brownish rodent with a lighter colored belly.  This rat can reach about 10 inches long, with another 8 inches of tail.  When fully grown, they can weigh up to a full pound.  Norway Rats are very able climbers, however, they prefer ground level or subterranean dwellings such as basements and crawlspaces.  The other type of rat we deal with is the Roof Rat.  The
Roof Rat can reach about 10 inches long with a tail roughly 9 inches long.  This rat weighs around 12 oz. when fully grown.  Roof Rats are often seen in the tops of trees, on top of roofs, and occupying attics.  Rats have teeth that constantly grow, so gnawing is an important routine, with favorites being electrical wires in attics, and duct work in crawlspaces.

Females can give birth to up to 22 young after a gestation of 21 or 22 days.  After about 3 months the young are sexually mature.  Rats can breed at any point in the year, but seem to prefer the warmer months.

Rats can live anywhere in your home from the crawlspace, up to the attic, and everywhere in between.  We believe that the first step to solving your rat problem is to seal off their entrances so the rats that are in, stay in, and the rats that are out, stay out.  The problem is then contained and we can deal with the rats left inside.  We feel very strongly against using any type of poison to kill these rodents, as poisons are not humane, not always safe, and can lead to other issues like a rat dying somewhere uncontrollable, and stinking up your house.

Common Problems
Rats in the attic
Rats in the crawlspace
Rats eating from our bird feeder
Rats eating from our compost pile
Dead smell

Signs of Rats
Scampering and scratching in the attic
Open crawlspace vent
Scratching coming through duct work
Rice Krispie sized droppings found in kitchen
Droppings found in bathroom
Droppings found in garage

Diseases
Hantavirus
Murine Typhus
Rat-Bite Fever
Salmonella
Leptospirosis