Roof Rat Citrus Damage Pictures

In nut orchards roof rats often nest around the base of trees.

Roof rat citrus damage pictures.

These rodents prefer to consume fruits sometimes referred to as the fruit rat or citrus rat and nuts although roof rats are omnivorous and will feed on almost anything available to them. Roof rats are especially fond of avocados and citrus and they often eat fruit that is still on the tree. Ecology of roof rats and native rats. Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered.

Roof rats have soft and smooth fur that is typically brown with intermixed spots of black. Their undersides are often white gray or black. Spp or cotton rat sigmodon arizonae. While casual observations of roof rats or native rats can.

The roof rat sometimes called the black rat is a common vertebrate pest in citrus and nut orchards in citrus it builds leaf and twig nests in trees or it can nest in debris piles thick mulch on the ground or in shallow burrows under the tree especially in hot weather. Other identifying traits include their pointed noses hairless ears and dark fur with light colored underbellies. These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus. From rat bites and scratches to saliva and urine rats can cause many diseases.

In livestock feed yards and barns roof rats often burrow. Roof rats are long and thin rodents that have large eyes and ears a pointed nose and a scaly tail. As climbers roof rats are more likely to cause structural damage in homes as they chew on wood and wires. Roof rats are frequent visitors to yards and homes across the country.

Roof rats are food hoarders stashing supplies of food such as seeds and nuts. According to the university of california statewide integrated pest management program roof rats are especially fond of avocados and citrus and often eat fruit that is still on the tree. Adult roof rats measure 6 8 16 20 cm when combining their head and body length. Roof rats are a health hazard being one of the oldest transmitters of diseases.

Their bodies are seven or eight inches in length though their bald scaly tails add up to ten more inches. Like norway rats roof rats eat a wide variety of foods but they prefer fruits nuts berries slugs and snails. Table 1 provides a brief description of the physical similarities and differences among these rodents. Fruit rats or roof rats as they re commonly called thrive in warm fruit bearing areas.