Rats

How to tell if I have rats.

• Regular sightings.
• Droppings capsule-shaped, (tapered at both ends), black and up to 12mm long.
• Burrows
• Smears are dark grey marks left on surfaces by repeated contact with the oils in rat fur.
• Gnawed holes in skirting boards or around pipes.
• Gnawed food packaging.
• Scratching noises in the walls and on ceilings.
• Rats follow the same routes when moving around and often leave trails through grass and low vegetation
• A musky smell particularly noticeable when you first come into the house.

Life Cycle

Rats are the only species to occur in sewers in the UK. Preferred food is cereals, although they are omnivorous. They will eat around 30g of food a day and drink 60ml.

• 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.

Upon identifying an infestation,  DO NOT tidy up any evidence just Contact Us and we will help/advise with the next step in preparing an eradication program.

The program will consist of:-

• We would start with a thorough inspection of all known and suspected spots where they might be hiding. ( Including drains )
• A full risk assessment and environmental assessment will be carried out to identify any hazards to determine which methods are most appropriate for dealing with the rodent infestation.
• Once we have established the scale of the infestation we get to work straight away using traps as this is our first protocol as we do not always rely on rodenticides to eradicate infestations.
• A plan will be drawn of where we place all traps/poisons.
• We will advise on any proofing and removal of any harbourage that is required and carry this out if requested at the end of the treatment.
• Scheduling a follow-up visit no later than 7 days after initial visits thereafter no later than 14days ( more frequently if larger infestations). Usually, all infestations are fully eradicated within 2-3 visits depending on the scale of the problem.
• After the treatment has finished, we make every effort to ensure all traces of the bait have been removed from the site and disposed of according.

• Extra visits to investigate smells, even if resulting from a successful rodent treatment, are not covered and will be charged for at our standard call out rate.

Preventative measures

Preventative measures should begin with the design, construction, and maintenance of the building in addition to good housekeeping. Effective cleaning of all parts of the premises and equipment is essential, together with the storage of food in rodent-proof containers. The maintenance of the refuse store in a clean condition and the storage of all refuse in suitable lidded containers is essential. Premises owners should check their property for conditions that are inviting to rodents. i.e. overgrown vegetation. The building exterior should be carefully examined the structural damage, potential harbourage site, poor sanitation and other conditions conducive to rodent activity.

Specifically:-

• Open or loosely covered refuse containers
• Overgrown shrubs or vegetation abutting the premises.
• Open or broken windows or screens
• Openings around pipes or conduits
• Poorly fitting doors or windows
• Telephone and electrical lines leading into the home or apartment building
• Cracked or broken concrete on the building foundation
• Piles of wood or debris on the ground around the structure
• Evidence of poor ground care around ponds or landscaping
• Dense foliage or ivy contacting the building
• Pet food & bird feeders
• Harbourage sites under outbuildings Where an infestation has been established, trapping or a rodenticide will be required to control the infestation. Remedial action on building proofing, cleaning and housekeeping will help to exterminate the infestation.