HABITAT Rats nest in burrows which are usually situated near to their favourite food source. They will emerge from drains at night in order to visit houses and 'Take Aways' looking for food. Brown Rats can't abide any other rodents sharing their food supply and will always kill them or drive them out. The Norway or common rat, Rattus norvegicus is generally found in agricultural areas, creeks, sewers, and developed neighborhoods. The Norway rat is larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. Its eyes and ears are smaller than the roof rat's and the tail is shorter than the combined head and body length. This species usually lives in underground burrows, and feeds on garbage, pet food, cereal grains and vegetables. Norway rats prefer to live on the ground in: Burrows along outside walls of homes Holes under shrubs or vegetation Under the edges of sidewalks or patios It usually lives in buildings and sewers during the winter but builds its nests in fields where food and crops grow during the summer. Signs of activity include: Rub marks caused by the rat's oily fur Droppings found in forced air heaters, swimming pool heater covers, and water heater closets Sounds (gnawing) from attic, subfloor, and walls Visual sightings on utility cables, tops of trees, or in trees DIET Bait - Good baits are chocolate shavings, peanut butter, or mashed canned cat food. Something with a strong oder that can not be carried off. Rats are omnivorous and they like the same foods that humans like. Rats (unlike mice) must have a source for water. norway rats readily accept fresh meat and fish. they usually prefer a bait higher in protein and fat than their normal diets. also, they like peanut butter, sweet chocolate candy, lettuce, tomatoes, apples, carrots, bananas, corn, milo, wheat, and doughnuts. norway rats are gluttons and accept a greater variety of baits than do roof rats. also, they are not as wary about new objects or food in their territory as is the roof rat. this makes them a little easier to bait and trap. The Norway rat adapts very well to all places where people live. It is omnivorous and eats anything a person eats. It also eats insects, green plants, fruits, birds, rabbits, small snakes, mice, young pigs, soap, garbage, seeds, and grain. It kills chickens and eats their raw eggs. It gnaws paper, wood, plastic, and cloth. It prefers grain, meats, and cheese that contain much protein. many ingredients are added to bait mixtures to enhance the bait's acceptance by rats and mice, but about the only truly effective, readily available enhancers are 5 percent sugar, bacon drippings, and peanut or corn oil added to the bait mixture. five percent sugar and 5 percent oil may be added. as you can see, you can use a variety of baits. the important thing to remember with any bait material is that baits and bait containers must be fresh and clean for best acceptance. thinking that rats and mice prefer spoiled, unclean food is false. the truth is, they are actually little different from other mammals in that they prefer fresh, clean food. rats and mice move in search of food before eating stale, sour, moldy, or feces and urine-contaminated food. it is estimated rats and mice eliminate 80 percent of their daily feces and urine waste as they are feeding. ESTABLISHING BAIT STATIONS when establishing bait stations, consider these points: because rats and mice have poor eyesight, they tend to run beside walls or other stationary objects and use their keen sense of touch in their whiskers and the guard hairs on their bodies to help guide them. these sensitive hairs help them travel in the dark, in their burrows, and in search of food and water. they do not often leave their established pathways unless the environment or food and water supplies change. neither rats nor mice travel any farther than necessary to reach food and water. place baits where rats and mice live and travel--not scattered at random or just where placement is convenient. rats are social animals and, within the same species, will use the same food, water source, and runways--and might even nest close together. they range, if necessary, as far as 150 feet to get food and water but prefer to travel much shorter distances if food and water are available. therefore, you should put rat baits every 25 feet. the house mouse, however, is a "loner." in each territory there are one or more females, food, and shelter. the male mouse does not willingly share his territory with another adult male mouse. therefore, you can control mice only by many bait placements--at least one in each territory. a territory is usually not more than a 10-foot × 10-foot area. some mice, for example, spend their entire lives in a pallet of feed. mice require very little water and get much of what they do need from foodstuff, which aids their being able to occupy such a relatively small space. place baits for mice 10 feet apart. HOW TO HUNT Go to the local dump and listen for the cans to rattle, put a spot light on the source, and plow them over. That works so does putting chicken livers and peanut butter on plastic wrap or garbage bags and listen for them to come in and take the bait. Farm buildings are great too; take your favorite springer and a tin of match points and listen for the pitter patter of little feet then slam them. Placing a dim light near the food source works well, the new LED lights are ideal for this. Red or orange lights do not seem to scare them as much as a white light does. Never handle a dead Rat as they carry a filthy disease called Weil's Disease (pronounced Vile's). Victorian rat catchers called this ailment the 'The Yellows' . If you think it possible that you have contacted any Rat body fluids, and you now have Flu-like symptoms (and you're turning yellow), go to a hospital & insist on an ELISA blood test - fast !