Rats in your home or business can be highly problematic as they cause damage and spread diseases. As they breed all year long, what starts as a small infestation could develop into a massive issue within a matter of months. Shockingly, rats give birth every 21-24 days, making it essential to act as soon as you notice an infestation.
Call Tornado Pest Control on 07377995318 to discuss how we can get your home free from rats and implement appropriate rat control solutions.
What Types of Rat Infest Homes and Businesses?
Two main rat species are likely to infest your property, the brown rat and the black rat.
Brown Rat
The brown rat is also known as a ‘Norway Rat’ (Rattus norvegicus) and can be double the size of a black rat, weighing almost 350g. An adult is between 20-25cm in length and produces between 8 to 14 litters yearly, up to 12 young each time.
Black Rat
The black rat is more commonly known as the ‘attic rat’ (Rattus rattus) and is smaller in size than the brown rat. An adult is between 12-18cm, weighing up to 250g and producing between 3-5 litters per year with up to 16 offspring. Black rats are less common and mostly confined to areas near ports.
Both species of rats are omnivorous, which means they can live on a varied diet of both plant and animal sources and the average life span is approximately 12 months.
How does our Rat Removal service work?
Call
Contact our team to arrange a survey or get a price for your Rat Removal treatment.
Book
If needed, we’ll visit your property to conduct a survey.
Service
We’ll visit your home or business to carry out our Rat Removal treatment.
Aftercare
We will visit your property as many times as possible to guarantee Rats don’t cause you anymore problems.
Are Rats Dangerous?
Rats carry pathogens, diseases and bacterial infections, which are dangerous to humans and pets. These rodents mark their territory by urinating, which can become a severe health risk for your family and your business. Simply breathing in the infected air from urine, saliva and droppings, or coming into contact with an infected rat, is extremely dangerous. Rats are afraid of humans and can be very vicious and unpredictable; therefore, keeping your distance is important, as a bite from an infected rat can make you very sick.
Some common diseases which rats spread are;
- Hantavirus: This can affect the cells in your blood vessels to become ‘leaky’, allowing fluid to fill your lungs and make breathing difficult.
- Leptospirosis: This can cause kidney damage, meningitis and respiratory distress.
- Salmonella: This infection can cause diarrhoea, stomach cramps and a high fever.
Efficient rat control is extremely important to avoid anyone getting seriously ill. If you believe you have a rat infestation in your home, you must remove them safely and quickly. Contact Tornado Pest Control today for your FREE QUOTE on 07377995318.
If you’re unsure if you have a rat problem, look out for the following signs.
Signs of Rats in Your Home and Business
Seeing a rat in or around your property is the most obvious sign. To understand if you have an infestation, some common things to look out for include;
Rat Droppings
Rat faeces are dark brown and small pellet-shaped droppings usually clumped together in various areas around your property. One rat can leave between 20-40 droppings in one evening, which can be extremely dangerous for humans and pets as these droppings carry a lot of diseases.
Damage
Rats can cause catastrophic damage to your home and business. They will chew through almost anything to create their nests and to keep their teeth in shape. One common thing for a rat to chew is the plastic sheathing around electrical cables. This is not only extremely difficult to spot but could cause a very serious fire hazard. Rats will also gnaw through wood, insulation, plastic containers, floor joists and pipes.
Nesting Material
Rats require three main things to survive; water, food and shelter. These rodents will build their nests in dark, enclosed spaces where these three requirements are met: in the basement, in the loft, a garage, the kitchen and inside your internal walls. The nests resemble a small ball-like shape which contains twigs, manmade debris, fabric and plant materials. Use a torch to inspect your property to see if you can spot any nests. Each nest can house up to 5-10 rats, and you can have multiple nests and colonies around your property. Therefore, if you spot a nest, it is imperative to rectify this infestation quickly, as these colonies expand rapidly.
Business Implications of a Rat Infestation
Product Loss: Rats can cause damage to stock and equipment, resulting in repairs or replacements. If your business works in the food industry, this can be extremely dangerous as you may incur product recalls and contract losses.
Stock Damage: Rats can damage machinery and electrical equipment and even gnaw through pipework which can cause leaks. Rats may also chew through cardboard boxes and contaminate or damage the contents in your stock room.
Trust: Rats are a serious concern; therefore, customers and employees may lose trust in your business if a rat infestation is not resolved quickly. Proactive and effective rat control is extremely important if you are based within the food, beverage or manufacturing industry.
Legal Repercussions: Food damaged or contaminated by rats is classed as unsafe for human consumption. Under the Food Safety Act of 1990, environmental health officers have a right to seize goods and demand remedial action. Ineffective rat control could shut your business down for weeks, costing you fines of up to £20,000 and loss of income.
How Can Tornado Pest Control Rat Proof your Property?
At Tornado Pest Control, we will identify the extent of your infestation and appropriately remove all rats from your property. Specialising in commercial and domestic rat control across Doncaster, we have a solution to meet your needs and requirements. We will conduct an initial inspection and create a full-proof plan for tackling the issue and implementing preventative measures to future-proof your property.
To protect your property from pesky rats, these simple tips should be followed to prevent an infestation.
Scope Out Rodent Entry Points
We will inspect your property and identify gaps, holes or cracks that rats could gain entry through. Rats can squeeze through an opening as small as a 10p coin, so we are very thorough when looking for entry points. Once we have identified these points, rapid-set concrete and stainless steel mesh are used to seal the holes.
Monitoring and Tracking
Included in our treatment costs, we also use Pest CCTV, UV-tracking dust and gels and non-toxic UV-tracking bait. This helps us to monitor a rat’s activity accurately and ensure every visit counts.
Sometimes rats can enter neighbouring properties through wall cavities, basements and lofts. Therefore, successfully tracking a rat can identify these points of entry, and you can make your neighbours aware of any issues.
Food Source
Rats require a reliable food source, so be extra diligent about how you store your food and the cleanliness inside your home or business. We recommend wiping down worktops and regularly sweeping or vacuuming the floors to minimise food waste. Clean up any food and drink spills immediately and store food in air-tight containers made from glass or metal, as rats can gnaw through plastics and cardboard.
This applies to the land surrounding your property too. Bird food, pet waste, or compost bins provide a stable food source for rats and are essentially an invitation. Keep your land food free and clean to prevent rats from breeding and living on or around your property.
Remove Clutter
These small creatures enjoy quiet, dark and cosy areas to make their nests. If you have a lot of clutter, belongings, teddies, rubbish, or anything that provides shelter, this is problematic as rats can move around without you noticing. You want to aim for wide, open spaces, making it difficult for rats to get shelter and feel comfortable.
Rats also enjoy large plants as the pots serve as a safe hiding spot indoors.
At Tornado Pest Control, we implement other methods, such as non-toxic baits to trap the rats or the use of professional rodenticides if absolutely necessary. For effective pest control in Doncaster, contact us at 07377995318 for a free quote.
