Rat ControlRats spread disease and can cause serious damage to your home's structure. Learn how to tackle these uninvited pests with the following tips:
How do I identify a rat?
The Norway rat or sewer rat is classified as a rodent. They measure about 25cm (excluding the tail) and have an average weight of 335g. The colour of their fur is brown, grey or less commonly black. Rats are nocturnal, although they can sometimes be seen during the day. They are active burrowers, good climbers and reasonably good swimmers (often leading to confusion with water voles). They have poor eyesight and are colour blind, but have acute hearing and a good sense of smell and taste.
Rats are capable of reproducing at 3-4 months old, and can have 3-6 litters per year, depending upon food availability and location. The litter size can be around 6-11 young, with a lifespan of between 12-19 months. It is said that there are 5 rats for every human being on the earth, which means you're no more than 15 metres from one at any given time. If you live in New York, this figure rises to a rat proximity of 5 metres.
Where do rats live?
Although rats are found in most parts of the world, it's believed they spread by ship from Eastern Asia. They are mainly found in close contact with human beings.
Rats generally move to buildings in autumn and winter for shelter and food; they're often found in warehouses, farms and roof spaces of houses. In summer they return to the open countryside to feed on growing vegetation. If food is available at a site all year round however, such as on farms or urban refuse tips, the rats will attempt to stay on site permanently. Within these habitats, they burrow into earth banks, compost heaps and the structure of buildings and sewers. They also inhabit undisturbed storage areas such as haystacks and tyre heaps or pallets, especially if these areas are close to food.
Favourite habitats:
Outside:
-Under wood piles or lumber that is not being used often
-Under bushes and vines and in tall thick grass
-In appliances and old furniture that is left outside and is not being used
-In and around garbage and trash that has been left out
-In holes or gaps under buildings
Inside:
-Inside the insulation of walls or ceilings
-In or behind cupboards, counters and bathtubs
-Near the boiler
-In basements or attics where things like cardboard and cloth are stored
What do rats eat?
The type of food favoured by the common rat is cereal, but being survivors, they are known to eat anything, including each other. Rats need to continuously gnaw in order to file down their teeth.
On average, they consume 25-30g of food and drink approximately 60ml of water per day.
When in the house, they eat anything not sealed in an air tight container. They can eat most food stored in paper, plastic or cardboard containers.
What attracts rats?
The following outlines the main attractions to rats:
-Uncollected garbage and debris
-Food for pets and birds that has been left out and not eaten
-Fruits and berries that have fallen to the ground
-Compost pile that is not taken care of in the correct way
-Dog droppings
How do I know if I have a rat problem?
The most common signs are rat droppings (typically 12mm long) found near food sources, along with evidence of gnawing, burrows, nests and greasy rub marks along walls/ floors.
Are rats harmful?
Yes. Rats contaminate everything they encounter with droppings, urine and hairs. They carry a wide range of diseases and parasites that are harmful to humans and animals. In particular around 20% of rats carry Leptospirosis, or Weil's disease, which can be fatal to humans. Other diseases, such as Toxoplasmosis and Salmonella, affect both humans and animals.
Another significant problem is the considerable structural damage rats can cause from their gnawing and burrowing activities. This ranges from minor holes in walls/doors/furniture/cupboards to structural collapse, flooding, electrical faults and fire (they gnaw through cables).
How can I prevent having rats in my home?
Preventative measures are important, otherwise the underlying causes of a rat problem will remain, inevitably causing re-infestation to occur. Since rats can squeeze through a hole the size of a thumb, ensure you thoroughly block the openings in your home where they tend to gain entrance. Spray foam, chicken wire and cement are examples of solutions for this purpose. The following measures act as deterrents:
- Keep food in food in rodent proof containers.
- Cover holes/gaps in walls and around pipes.
- Fix a bristle strip to the bottom of doors. This can be bought at your local DIY store.
- Use thin wire mesh to cover ventilation holes.
- Place wire balloons (less than $2 from builders' supply store) in the top of drain pipes.
- Fit cone guards to the bottom of drain pipes to prevent them from crawling up.
- Dispose of rubbish and clear up spillages.
- Don't leave food lying around either inside or outside your home.
- Clear up fallen fruit from trees and leftover bird food in your garden.
- If you regularly find litter around your home from local shops, call your local council to arrange for them to clear it up.
- Stack wood 18 inches off the ground.
- Make sure birdhouses and trays are out of reach.
- Keep garbage lids closed.
- When planting bushes make sure they're at least 3 feet from your house.
- Short, tidy vegetation in your garden exposes rats to predators (in fact, encouraging predators, particularly cats, may provide additional protection).
- Keep yards and alleys clean.
- Don't compost any animal products (fish, meat, cheese or butter).
Despite good standards of hygiene and proofing, infestations sometimes occur. When this happens it's important to act fast, since the longer you leave it, the greater and more costly your problem becomes - a pair of rats can start a colony that produces up to 800 babies a year.
If you decide to tackle the problem yourself, first identify where the rats are living, feeding and drinking, as well as the routes they take between these areas. Look for holes, burrows, droppings and footprints. Find out how they're getting into your home by blocking any holes with newspaper (or similar) and coming back a day later to see which holes have been re-opened. You can then permanently block these access points.
The following options will help you tackle the problem:
Chemicals for rat removal:
Be aware that this method involves rodenticides/ poisons which are also toxic to humans and animals. Take care to read the product label before use and follow the label instructions. Another concern with this option is that the rats may die in hard to reach areas of your home, preventing you from disposing of them.
Traps for rat removal:
These come in various sizes and forms, such as glue traps. They're environmentally friendly, widely available and effective if placed in the right locations. The drawbacks are that this method can be cruel to the rodent and you may have to kill it yourself once it's caught. You will also need to dispose of the rat.
Electronic rat removal:
This is a non-toxic way of killing rats. They are attracted to the unit using peanut butter placed inside the trap - a footplate is depressed once they enter which triggers an electric volt. The trap is designed so that there's no need to touch a dead body, you simply empty the trap into a bin.
For more humane solutions, there are the following options:
Cage Traps for rat removal:
The device captures the rats for release elsewhere. The drawback is that the rats could become a problem in another home - beware the saying: 'What goes around comes around'!
Repeller & Ultrasonic Devices for rat removal:
For an outdoor deterrent, a Repeller can be used. It has a motion detector which when triggered by movement emits a powerful burst of water, harmlessly scaring the rats away. This device may give your pets a slight scare however.
While there are many options to help you rid your property of rats, be aware that rats are not highly inquisitive and trapping requires expertise. Ultrasonic devices don't work and rats are becoming immune to weaker DIY products. If you've tried to tackle the infestation yourself without success, or if you simply don't want to take care of the problem yourself, contact a professional pest control company.
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