Buckhaven Rat Catchers (KY8): While it isn't really a common problem in Buckhaven nowadays, home owners do still have issues with rats on occasion. Seeing rats in your property or garden is not a nice experience, and could be sufficient to cause some home owners the shakes. Single rats should not create that much of an issue, but naturally rats breed rapidly and can start to cause issues as they grow in numbers.
There are actually two kinds of rat that you might run into in Buckhaven, black rats and brown (common) rats. It's quite improbable that you'll ever see a black rat, and if you've stumbled upon a rat recently its likely to have been the more widespread brown rat (Rattus Norvegicus). Black rats (or ship rats) were at one time common and were the cause of the Great Plague during the 17th Century, they're rather rare now, though where they are found they have an acute sense of hearing, are superb climbers, and can give birth to between twenty and one hundred offspring in a single year.
The black rat (Rattus Rattus) at 5 to 7" long, is a bit smaller than the brown rat, which attains a length of almost nine inches and weighs about half a kilo. A great deal of the damage and destruction attributable to brown rats is due to the fact that to keep their teeth from getting too much, they have to continuously chew on things. Their gnawing is oftentimes concentrated on objects made of timber.
Rats cause a number of problems in businesses and homes throughout Buckhaven and they spread diseases, gnaw through woodwork, wires, pipes and insulation, leave behind droppings, and are generally troublesome. Homeowners need to report any sightings of rats to their relevant local authority. Or alternatively head HERE to report pest and rat sightings on the .gov website online.
You do not need to actually observe rats to confirm that they're there, because there are various revealing signs that could warn you of their activity. It could be that you might hear noises coming from a floor, wall or loft, you might come upon a rat's nest in some hidden location, you may spot rat holes gnawed into skirting boards or floorboards or you could notice droppings on floor surfaces or in cupboards.
If you don't want to wait for the local council to control this problem you may also speak to a local Buckhaven pest controller or rat catcher who'll be qualified in the field of pest removal. These days rat catchers generally come under the category of pest control, and pest control services do not only control rats but also wasps, moles, bedbugs, cockroaches, mice, fleas and all sorts of garden and household pests. (Tags: Pest Control Buckhaven, Rat Catcher Buckhaven )
Burrowing
If you have rats living in the garden, the probabilities are that there'll be a burrow. Rats like to dig burrows and they frequently do this adjacent to solid structures and objects such as garden sheds, pathways, patios and garages. These are the locations to check out if you believe you have rats about. Rats build substantial networks of burrows which are useful for nesting, shelter and food storage. Keep your eyes peeled for holes having smooth sides, that have been polished by the continual comings and goings of these busy animals. The entrances to burrows are generally around two to four inches across. A good way to learn if rats are nesting in that particular burrow is to chuck some stuff into the hole and see whether it's been cleared away the next day.
Types of Rat
You are only likely to encounter 2 sorts of rat in Buckhaven and anywhere in the UK. The Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) and the Black Rat (Rattus Rattus).
The Brown Rat
The brown rat (sewer rat, street rat, Norwegian Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) or common rat) is the most commonly seen rat in the United Kingdom and all across Europe (also North America). The coloration of this rat ranges between brown and grey, it grows to approximately 4-9 inches (and an equivalent length tail) with a weight of between 140 and 500 grammes. This species was named Rattus Norvegicus (Norway Rat) since it was presumed to have spread to the United Kingdom by ship from Norway. It's nowadays thought to have originated from Central Asia/China. Brown rats have good hearing but bad eyesight, they climb effectively and dig burrows, they are omnivores but favour grains and cereals, the female rats will reproduce 5 litters of as many as 14 young per year.
The Black Rat (Rattus Rattus)
Also not a native species of the UK, the black rat, (Rattus Rattus), ship rat or roof rat initially arrived in Europe from Southeast Asia. Most likely traveling in spice shipments in Roman times, the black rat subsequently spread throughout Continental Europe. At one time prevalent in the UK, the black rat essentially disappeared as the brown rat took over. Reaching a length of five to seven inches, the black rat weighs in at just 75 to 230 grams. Well known for passing on bubonic plague, Weil's disease, rat bite fever, salmonella, listeria, toxoplasmosis, typhus, trichinosis and tularemia, black rats are notorious spreaders of disease and pathogens.
What Attracts Rats and Mice?
With their pointy faces, twitchy whiskers and furry bodies, some people may find mice and rats to be rather cute, however they are certainly not the type of animals that you want in your house or garden in Buckhaven, and can be more dangerous than you'd expect. Mice and rats have been known to cause fires and other problems in homes and business premises in Buckhaven by chewing through plastic, insulation materials, electrical wires and wood. More than thirty different kinds of disease are spread by mice and rats including conditions like bubonic plague, Weil's disease, rat bite fever, salmonella, listeria, toxoplasmosis, typhus, trichinosis and tularemia. So, the main things that attract mice and rats into your garden and home are:
- CLUTTER - General clutter and jumble in loft, gardenshed or basement will be particularly attractive to rats and mice, particularly if there is a food source nearby.
- COMPOST/PET WASTE - Surprisingly piles of compost and even pet waste can be attractive to rodents - they will find plenty of tasty titbits hidden in there!
- HOLES AND ENTRY POINTS - Mice and rats can crawl through the smallest of holes and cracks, so look out for gaps around crawl spaces, entrances, grills and plumbing.
- WATER - Mice and rats have to drink, consequently water sources like birdbaths, seeping sprinkler systems, leaking pipes and pet water bowls are a big enticement for these unwanted pests.
- FOOD - Food that's left discarded or lying around is perhaps the main attraction for mice and rats.
- RUBBISH/TRASH - An accumulation of garbage and garden waste heaped up on your property (particularly in the garden) will surely attract rodents.
Rat Bites
While they are not among the most commonplace injuries inflicted on people in Buckhaven, every once in a while bites from rats do happen, and the effects can sometimes be grave. If you encounter a rat in a confined space, it could attack and bite you if it is pressured or cornered, so leave it an easy exit route and try to stay out of it's way.
You would think that folks would be wary of sticking their hand inside a rat's cage, yet as rats are often kept as pets, this is an increasing cause of rat bites. Rat bites can become infected or be life threatening if they turn into "rat bite fever", subsequently they must be avoided when possible, although of they are not of course always dangerous. If it is not treated rapidly "rat bite fever" has a 10% mortality rate.
Symptoms of Rat Bite Fever - Among the signs of "rat bite fever" are:
- Swelling or Redness
- Joint Pain
- Vomiting
- Headaches
- A Rash
- Fever
- Muscle Pain
If you're unfortunate enough to receive a rat bite, thoroughly wash the wound, put on some antibiotic cream, and bandage the affected area. You should head to your nearest A&E and get it checked out, even if you don't consider it to be that major, or at the minimum schedule an appointment with your doctor or GP. If you've not had a tetanus vaccination in the last 5 years, it might be sensible to get one of these too - an A&E nurse will probably do this routinely.
Reporting Rats and Pests
This is a little more detail on a topic that we touched on earlier in this article. It is always smart to inform the local environmental health if you discover rats in a public area, in your own garden or in a neighbours garden. Certain local councils will deal with rats at no cost, however when you have other pest infestations for instance bed bugs, wasps and cockroaches they'll often require payment. It's also a possibility to report sightings of rats via the Government (.gov) website which you can visit HERE. Click HERE to arrange your local rat catcher and get the situation sorted immediately.
Problems With Moles
While no longer such a commonplace pest nowadays moles are sometimes controlled by rat catchers. Moles can cause trouble in a different way to rats and aren't quite so detested. Gardens and lawns are the main things at risk if you have a mole problem. The familiar sight of heaps of earth scattered all over a nicely manicured lawn are clear evidence of such activity. Using traps is certainly the most favourable and humane solution to remove moles. (Tags: Molecatchers Buckhaven, Mole Trapping Buckhaven)
Rat Prevention Buckhaven
Dissuading mice and rats long before they show up is certainly an effective way to avoid having problems with them. For this reason, even if you don't actually have a problem with rats, deterring mice and rats should be extremely high on your priority list. Amongst the main factors behind rat and rodent infestations is domestic trash in gardens. Giving both the materials and location for nests will only encourage them. When there's also lots of food on offer those rats think they're in paradise, so be aware that many bird feeders often attract rats, particularly when they're liable to overflowing, and domestic household food waste should not be easily accessible.
Coming Shortly:
Bird nest removal - article 132.
To Summarise
Having a rat problem in Buckhaven is something that everybody fears, and when you find yourself in this scenario, the temptation might be to try to resolve it yourself. Rat traps, rat poisons and other similar products are easily obtainable in hardware stores, supermarkets and shops in and around Buckhaven, so the things you need can easily be obtained.
However, unless you know exactly what you are doing, it is possibly wise to seek the services of an experienced rat exterminator, who will have remedied this problem hundreds if not thousands of times previously, and will know exactly what the most effective solution is.
Quite often the amateur use of rat poison isn't really that effective, and can even do more harm than good - would you really want to take the chance of doing harm to your children and pets? You'd be much better off enlisting the assistance of an expert when you're in need of rat control in Buckhaven.
Other Pests in Buckhaven: Also specialist help with ants in Buckhaven, pigeons in Buckhaven, mice in Buckhaven, fleas in Buckhaven, hornets in Buckhaven, rabbits in Buckhaven, bees in Buckhaven, wasps in Buckhaven, clothes moths in Buckhaven, bedbugs in Buckhaven, silverfish in Buckhaven, moles in Buckhaven, carpet beetles in Buckhaven, cockroaches in Buckhaven Scotland.
Pest Control Services Buckhaven
Buckhaven rat catchers can generally help with the removal of contaminated loft insulation, dead bird removal, pest control, residential pest control, ingress pest solutions, pigeon pest control Buckhaven, rat pest control, rat prevention, rat deterrents, ultrasonic pest control, rat catching, pest netting in Buckhaven, rat baits, rat poison, bird proofing, guano removal, commercial pest control, mouse control in Buckhaven, insect heat treatments Buckhaven, domestic pest control, mole catching, anti-bird spike installation Buckhaven, 24 hour emergency pest control, the installation of pheromone stations (for moth entrapment) Buckhaven, rat infestations, restaurant pest control Buckhaven, electronic pest control, environmental pest control Buckhaven, wasp pest control Buckhaven, bird nest clearance in Buckhaven and other pest control in Buckhaven, Scotland. These are just a selection of the duties that are undertaken by those installing pest control. Buckhaven specialists will keep you informed about their entire range of services.
Pest Control Near Buckhaven
Also find: Earlsferry pest control, Lundin Links pest control, Markinch pest control, Kingskettle pest control, Star pest control, Upper Largo pest control, East Wemyss pest control, Collinsburgh pest control, West Wemyss pest control, Coaltown of Wemyss pest control, Largoward pest control, Windygates pest control, Kircaldy pest control, Kennoway rat catchers and more. Most of these areas are covered by professional pest control. Buckhaven householders can get estimates by going here.
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