General Information

House rats and mice live with or close to humans in homes, sheds , and garages.  They are considered a nuisance because of

three main problems:

1. They eat and contaminate our food supply.

2. They damage and destroy property.

3. They carry diseases such as Typhus fever, trichinosis, and plague.

The three common nuisance rodents in Hamilton County are the Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus), the black rat ( Rattus rattus ), 

and the house mouse (Mus musculus).   

Norway rats 

Black Rat

House mouse

Images courtesy USGS