Go to Top

Rats in London

A few facts about rats, which you should know.

How to identify which rats I have?

There are many different species of rats but the ones that you are most likely to confront are; what is known as the usual  Norway rat they commonly have dark-brown fur on they’re backs and have grey belly, at times their colour also can varies from a dirty white colour to dark grey. The fully grown rat’s physical structure is a length of approx 25cm and a tail of about 17cm. Rats that are normally found on boats and ships are black in colour, but rarely encountered in the UK, being smaller than their more common relatives. Apart from their size, they can be identified by their very long tails and more so because they have no hair on their large pink ears

Where do rats inhabit?

The common rat will exist in whatever location that can provide food and water for it’s daily needs, water and shelter. These rats are the ones that are found in many infestations; they are commonly encountered in urbanised and farming regions. In a house they will generally live in lofts, wall cavities, and below wooden floors. Garden sheds are also a favourite habitat and various other locations in the garden. What is more concerning is that they can and do live in sewers and can later come out to find food, thereby spreading germs and bacteria wherever they touch.

Eight common signs if rat have infested you premises

1.  Sightings of live or dead rats

2.  Rat faeces are easily recognised and are 1-2cm long tapering at each end.

3.  Rats generally travel along the same paths and whilst moving, it will leave tracks through grass.

4.  Footprints on wet or soiled areas such as muddied pathways in the garden.

5.  Dirty marks resulted by continual contact with rats pelt.

6.  Tunnels with entrances approx 5-8cm diameter they can be found at the end of paved paths and surrounds of drain and sewer covers.

7.  Their nests in the home are normally encountered in loft spaces and below wooden floors.

8.  Evidence that material; from concrete to plastic has been gnawed, rats do this, even to inedible materials to erode and sharpen their front teeth rats teeth grow continually and need to be ‘trimmed’

What is the rat’s diet?

Their favoured and preferred foods are grain products, whilst they’ll consume just about anything that we eat and many things that we do not, that includes other rats.

Apart from being one of the most loathsome creatures we are likely to encounter in our homes. The damage they cause can be costly and dangerous, especially if they gnaw on electrical cables. As a health hazard if they can access our food, apart from chewing on it they foul it with their urine and excrement.

How to know if there are rats in my premises?

The first signals that you may have rats in your home are the acrid smell of their urine and the faeces they have left behind. If they are out in the garden you may well see their footprints in the mud. They will have constructed tunnels these are evident by the entrance holes. Other indications are the signs that plastic similar materials have been gnawed by them.

What to do if I think I have rats?

Rats multiply quickly, making their containment a challenging undertaking for anyone that is untrained in their eradication and control. If you feel that you have a rat problem contact Pest Control today, we will send our fully trained pest control officers will survey the infestation. After we have dealt with the problem we will follow up with a visit, in order to guarantee that we have eradicated the rats from your premises.

Read more abour rat control

, ,

Leave a Reply