Living in Ontario, especially in areas like Brampton, Mississauga, or neighbourhoods near the Credit Valley or Chinguacousy Park, you may hear scuttling or find strange droppings. That could mean a Norway rat or its close relative has moved in. These rodents are tricky and fast. In this article, you see how to spot them, how they differ from roof rats, how Pestai Exterminator Brampton tackles them, and what you can do right now to protect your home or business.
The Importance of Understanding the Norway Rat
The norway rat (also called the norwegian rat, brown rat, or common rat) is one of Ontario’s most troublesome rodent species. It digs burrows, gnaws wiring, contaminates food, and can spread diseases. Because they thrive in human areas, understanding norway rat species habits helps you prevent damage and risk.
These rats, sometimes called norwegian brown rats, prefer life near ground level. They build tunnels and burrows, often in basements, wall voids, next to foundations, or even sewer lines. Their presence should always be taken seriously.
What You Need to Know About Norway Rats
First, you’ll want to distinguish norway rats from other rat types like roof rats. A roof rat vs norway rat comparison is essential. Norway rats are stockier, with shorter tails shorter than their body length, while roof rats (also called black rats) tend to have longer tails and sleeker bodies. Also norwegian rat are better diggers than climbers. So if you see rodents in your attic, you may have a roof rat infestation, not a norway rat issue
In Ontario, norway rat populations are more common than roof rat ones.
Norway Rat Behavior and Size
These common rats grow fairly large. Adult norway rat size typically reaches about 30 cm including the tail. Their droppings tend to be blunt-ended, capsule‑shaped, and about 1.8 to 2.0 cm longThey remain largely nocturnal, hiding during the day in burrows or hidden wall gaps.
Risks and Damage
Norway rats are more than just a nuisance. They chew electrical wires, structural materials, insulation, and may collapse weak foundations due to tunnel erosion.
They also carry disease agents (like leptospirosis, salmonella, etc.) and contaminate surfaces and food.
Because their population can grow fast multiple litters per year a small problem becomes large quickly.
How Norway Rats Can Impact Your Property
When norway rats invade, the consequences are serious. You may find gnaw marks on pipes, wires, or walls. You may see droppings in basements, garages, or near storage. In neighbourhoods near Bramalea, Southfields, or Mount Pleasant, rats often exploit gaps around foundations or old drains.
They may contaminate your stored food or pet feed. Electrical hazards from wire chewing are real. And once inside wall cavities or floor voids, removal is difficult.
How Pestai Exterminator Brampton Handles Norway Rat Issues
At Pestai Exterminator Brampton, we use a mix of science, local knowledge, and safe practices:
- Identification – We inspect homes in areas like Bramalea, Heart Lake, and Castlemore to confirm if the culprit is a norway rat, norwegian rat, or roof rat.
- Customized Baiting & Trapping – Because norway rats operate close to the ground, we place bait stations and traps along baseboards, crawl spaces, foundation walls, and burrow entrances.
- Exclusion & Sealing – We seal cracks, repair foundation gaps, and install hardware cloth around vents to block reentry.
- Sanitation & Habitat Removal – We advise clearing debris, trimming shrubs near walls, securing trash bins, and eliminating standing water.
- Monitoring – After treatment, we monitor activity in zones like the Toronto–Brampton border or near Highway 407 corridor to ensure the rats don’t return.
Using species‑aware strategies is key. A roof rat vs norway rat confusion can lead to misplacement of traps and wasted efforts.
What You Can Do Right Now
While waiting for professionals, there are steps you can take immediately:
- Seal cracks and holes around base of your building and along the foundation.
- Store garbage in sealed metal or rodent‑proof containers.
- Keep pet food, bird seed, compost, or garden waste away from exterior walls.
- Remove dense vegetation or debris next to your foundation.
- Fix plumbing leaks and stop water pooling near your home.
If you live near neighbourhoods like Fletcher’s Meadow, Creditview, or Sandalwood, inspect eaves and ground-level drains. Norway rats rarely climb, so focus your early checks there.
FAQ Norway Rat
How to tell norwegian rats from other common rats?
Look at tail length and body build. Norwegian rats (norway rats) have tails shorter than body length and a heavier, stocky shape. Roof rats have longer tails.
Do norwegian sewer rat and norway rat refer to the same?
Yes. Norway rats are often called sewer rats or wharf rats because they exploit sewer networks.
How big do norwegian rats get?
They commonly reach about 30 cm (body plus tail).
Do common rats all pose similar threats?
While different species vary in behavior, all rats risk contamination, bites, and structural damage.
What do roof rat droppings look like compared to norway rats?
Roof rat droppings are more pointed at ends and smaller (often 12‑15 mm), whereas norway rat droppings are blunt and around 18–20 mm.