Rats

 

Common name:               Common, Norway, Brown or Sewer Rat

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Latin name:                        Rattus Norvegicus

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Description

Brown in colour with off-white underbelly. Adults grow up to 500 grams in weight and a total body and tail length of 470mm.

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Lifestyle

Rats are sexually mature at 8 to 12 weeks of age and have a litter of 6 to 11 young. Infestations can therefore occur as a result of just one pregnant female rat. Rats live in socially harmonious colonies but will vigorously defend their territory to protect their food source. Rats are omnivorous, eating anything, including faeces from the sewer. Rats are excellent climbers and swimmers.

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Impact of Rats

Disease – Rats constantly release a small amount of urine as they move around, they are therefore great spreaders of disease. Weil’s disease (leptospirosis) is carried by 50% of the rat population and can be transferred to humans from wet or damp environments that have been contaminated by rats. Rats can also carry other disease such as salmonella, plague, rat-bite fever and typhus.

Structural damage - Rats are rodents and therefor their teeth constantly grow so they must gnaw on hard objects to keep their teeth short. They will gnaw on electrical cables, plastic and metal pipes, potentially causing fires or flooding in a property.

Foodstuff contamination – Damage of food by rats can take place at all stages of production from growing through to final cooking and distribution. Droppings, hair and urine can all be left in food storage or food preparation areas, ruining food or spreading illness.

Digging – Rats will burrow for great distances, undermining buildings, paths and patios. They will break out from sewers and dig under drains damaging pipework.

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Treatment

i-Pest will conduct a thorough survey to confirm the pest present and the extent of the infestation and will treat with the most appropriate method pest control method, included rodenticides or trapping. We will try to identify areas where proofing can be carried to prevent rats entering your property, providing a long-term pest control solution.