There’s a rat in my garden, what am I…
How can I be sure that it’s a rat?
Rats are medium-sized, long-tailed rodents. Generally, when someone discovers a large rodent, it’s commonly labled a rat, if it is smaller, its suspected to be a mouse.
Where might you find rats around the garden?
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- Compost heaps – attract rats because they are warm and contain food. Check lid and base of composters for holes.
- Decking – the edges of decked areas for signs of damage from gnawing and burrowing.
- Drains – damaged covers or holes dug next to the drain covers.
- Garages – check for gaps around door frames or holes gnawed at the bottom of wooden doors.
- Sheds – entrances to burrows around the edges of sheds and out buildings.
- Vegetation – look for rat holes around tree and shrub roots, in overgrown vegetation.
What are the signs of a rat infestation?
Rats are most active during the night so often easier to spot the signs of a rat infestation than see the rat. Signs that could indicate that you have a potential rat problem are as follows:
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- Burrows – rats dig extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage and nesting.
- Gnaw Marks – Simliar to our finger nails, rodents teeth continuously grow. So they have to keep them sharp and short by gnawing.
- Nests – shredded materials are used to make nests.
- Rat Droppings – are dark brown in a tapered, like a large grain of rice.
- Smear Marks – Grease and dirt from their bellies leaves smudges on surfaces.
If you have spotted any of the signs mentioned, we recommend acting quickly to ensure the potential infestation doesn’t grow any bigger.
How quickly can rats reproduce?
The rat can breed throughout the year if conditions are suitable, with a female producing up to five litters of 7 – 14 pups a year. The gestation period is only 21 days. They reach sexual maturity in about five weeks.
How many descendants could a pair of rats produce in three years?
The answer: nearly half a billion. That shudder-worthy fact comes courtesy of pest control experts Rentokil, who put together an interactive projected labelled “The Rise of The Rats” to visually show just how crazy this cycle can be if left unchecked. (source: qsrmagazine.com)
What problems can be caused by Rats?
Rats are vectors of a wide range of disease-causing bacteria, viruses, parasites and worms. They also carry many diseases through their own parasites such as fleas, ticks, lice and mites. Some of the common diseases spread by rats are:
- Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease) is spread in the urine of infected animals, most commonly rats. You can catch it from:
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- soil or freshwater (such as from a river, canal or lake) containing infected pee gets in your mouth, eyes or a cut, usually during activities like kayaking, outdoor swimming or fishing.
- you touch an infected animal’s blood or flesh, usually from working with animals or animal parts.
- It’s very rare to get leptospirosis from pets, other people or bites. It’s rare in the UK.
- Salmonellosis s a symptomatic infection caused by bacteria of the Salmonella type. The most common symptoms are diarrhea, fever, abdominal cramps, and vomiting. Symptoms typically occur between 12 hours and 36 hours after exposure, and last from two to seven days.
- Bubonic plague is an infection of the lymphatic system, usually resulting from the bite of an infected flea, Xenopsylla cheopis (the rat flea). The bacteria enter through the skin through a flea bite and travel via the lymphatic vessels to a lymph node, causing it to swell. Several antibiotics are effective for treatment. Without treatment, plague results in the death of 30% to 90% of those infected typically within ten days.
- Toxoplasmosis a parasitic disease. Infections with toxoplasmosis usually cause no obvious symptoms in adults. Occasionally, people may have a few weeks or months of mild, flu like illness such as muscle aches and tender lymph nodes. In small numbers eye problems may develop.
How do we reduce the infestation and prevent its return?
On our initial visit we investigate your findings and develope a treatment plan that usually involves traps or rodenticides. We also aim to reduce any causes of their arrival at your property such as remove food or harborages. This includes blocking up of access routes or burrows and improvements in house keeping.
Safe use of Pesticides
In 2015 the HSE in consultation with the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticed Use (CRRU) launched the UK Rodenticide Stewardship Scheme. The scheme aims to restrict the availability of rodenticide products ensuring that they are used responsibly.
The rodenticide scheme rules will apply to anyone who is buying or selling rodenticides over a 1.5kg pack size.
Is the rodenticied likely to hurt my pets, kids or customers?
Rodenticide baits are not only poisonous for rodents but can be lethal to any mammal or bird that ingests them or feeds on a poisoned rodent. Using rodenticide baits puts pets at high risk of becoming ill or dying either through direct ingestion or by eating poisoned rodents .
All rodenticide bait or traps should be in a lockable container that only allows access by the target rodent. Our customers are given a clear understanding of what the bait we are using and how to react should they suspect their pet or child has injested rodenticide.
If you suspect that your pet has been exposed to rodenticides, take immediate action and contact your vet. A comprehensive list of pesticide safety data sheets is here.
How can we help you?
If you have found signs you think are potentially a rat infestation, don’t worry we’re here to help. Call or contact us for a fast response to get identification or treatment underway quickly.