Synanthropic rodents

Brown rat (Rattus norvegicus): 18–25 cm body + 15–20 cm tail, weight 250–500 g, grey-brown fur. Excellent swimmer and burrower, prefers damp, low environments. Sexual maturity 2–3 months, gestation 21–24 days, 6–12 pups per litter and up to 7 litters/year. A pair can generate over 1,000 descendants in 12 months. Neophobic: distrusts novelties — interventions need stable bait points and acclimation time.

Black rat (Rattus rattus): 16–22 cm, slender, tail longer than body, excellent climber. Lives high up (lofts, false ceilings, warehouses).

House mouse (Mus musculus): 7–10 cm, weight 10–25 g, lives in warm tight spaces. Breeds every 25 days with 4–8 pups. A female can produce up to 100 descendants/year.

Development period: from birth to reproductive age rats 8–12 weeks, mice 6 weeks. Maximum activity at dusk and night.

Brown rat: sewers, basements, warehouses, landfills, port areas, river and canal banks, drainage, under-floor cavities, crawl spaces.
Black rat: lofts, attics, high warehouses, trees, overhead cables, ships.
House mouse: pantries, false ceilings, behind appliances, wall cavities, fridge motors, stored vehicles.

A rat colony can develop in just 30 cm of cavity with access to water and food residues. Mice pass through 6 mm holes (pencil-sized).

Synanthropic rodents are recognised vectors of over 35 diseases transmissible to humans. The most relevant in Italy:

• Leptospirosis: bacterial zoonosis with fever, myalgia, possible liver/kidney involvement. Rats are the primary reservoir.
• Salmonellosis: in 2024 in Italy 2,637 notifications (rate 4.5/100,000). Rodents contaminate food and surfaces.
• Hantavirus: pulmonary/renal syndrome, mortality up to 10%.
• Murine typhus (Rickettsia typhi).
• Toxoplasmosis, trichinellosis, plague (rare in Italy but historical reservoir).

Contamination occurs through ingestion, skin contact with urine, inhalation of dried excrement dust.

Italy 2024 — epidemiological data:
• Salmonellosis: 2,637 cases (down from 3,333 in 2023, ISS-ECDC data).
• Leptospirosis: endemic, sporadic clusters linked to floods.
• Historic surge in rat sightings in cities after Covid and after the 2023–2024 floods in Emilia-Romagna, Tuscany and Veneto.
• Major urban areas (Rome, Milan, Naples, Florence) all activated enhanced municipal rodent control plans.

How to spot an infestation:
• Gnaw marks on cables, packaging, plastic.
• Rice-grain shaped droppings: 12–18 mm brown rat, 8–10 mm black rat, 3–5 mm mouse.
• Black smears along skirting (sebum from fur).
• Pungent sweet urine smell.
• Gnawing or running sounds in false ceilings after 10 pm.
• Tracks and tail drag marks in dust.
• Visible burrows in gardens.

Every infestation has its own species, biology and intervention strategy. Don't improvise: contact us for a free site visit. Within 48 working hours you receive a precise technical assessment and a transparent quote, drafted by Dr. Marco Tarducci and the Hygiene Care team.

📞 Phone · 💬 WhatsApp · ✉️ Email — all contacts at the bottom of the page.

Our protocol:
• Free site visit with georeferenced mapping.
• Lockable tamper-resistant bait stations with EU 528/2012 authorised baits — rotating active ingredients.
• Electronic monitoring in HACCP critical areas (alert within 24 h).
• Scheduled visits (4–12/year) with digital log.
• Reporting compliant with IFS, BRC, ISO 22000, FSSC 22000.
• Massive infestation: 3-week shock plan with complete remediation.

Year-round activity. Reproductive peaks in spring and autumn. In autumn ingress increases due to cold: October–November preventive plan strongly recommended.