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With over 50 years of experience in Israel, Rentokil has become the largest and most trusted brand in pest control.
Common rodent species in Israel
Rodents multiply quickly and can do significant damage to your home and business. They can also contaminate food and other materials through the droppings they leave behind.
Not only are rodents destructive, but they have been known to cause house fires after chewing through electrical cables.
Two main types of rats cause concern in Israel: the black rat (common rat) and the brown rat (sewer rat), both of which are commonly found in private homes and business properties. The common mouse is also considered a major pest in the country.
Black Rat
(Rattus rattus)
Appearance
- The black rat is between 16–24cm in length, with a tail longer than the head and body.
- It grows to between 150–200g in weight.
- It has a pointed nose, large ears and a slender body.
Lifecycle
- Black rats produce 5–10 young per litter and have between 3–6 litters a year.
- The gestation period is about 3 weeks.
- It only takes between 12–16 weeks from birth for them to reach sexual maturity.
Habits
- They are incredibly agile and very good climbers.
- Their preferred food is moist fruits. Black Rats will eat around 15g of food a day and drink 15ml.
Brown Rat
(Rattus norvegicus)
Brown rats usually prefer ground living and burrowing, but they are known to sometimes climb.
Appearance
- The brown rat is up to 40 cm in length, with a tail shorter than the head and body.
- It grows up to between 350–500g in weight.
- It has a blunt nose, small ears and a thicker body when compared to the Black Rat (Rattus rattus).
Lifecycle
- Rats have 7–8 young per litter and between 3–6 litters a year.
- The gestation period is about 3 weeks.
- It only takes 10–12 weeks from birth to reach sexual maturity.
Habits
- Preferred food is cereals, although they are omnivorous.
- They will eat around 30g of food a day and drink 60ml.
House mouse
(Mus domesticus)
House mice are active all year round, which means you could find them invading your home or business at any time.
Appearance
- Size: 70 – 95mm in length, with a tail around the same length.
- Weight: 12 – 30g.
- Their relatively small feet and heads, and large eyes and ears distinguish them from a young brown rat (Rattus norvegicus).
Lifecycle
- 4 – 16 young per litter; 7 – 8 litters a year.
- Gestation period of about 3 weeks.
- 8 – 12 weeks from birth to sexual maturity.
Habits
- Usually ground living and burrowing, but often climb.
- Preferred food is cereals.
- Will eat around 3g of food a day and can survive without any additional water. They will drink up to 3ml a day if their diet is particularly dry.
How to get rid of rodents
Learn more about Rentokil’s approach to dealing with rodents.