Catshill Rat Catchers (B61): Observing rats in your garden or property is usually quite an alarming thing to go through and whilst its not such a common occurrence in Catshill in recent times, it is definitely not unusual. Rats tend to breed fairly quickly and can cause problems, particularly when they are present in numbers. Just one sighting of a solitary rat might not be too much of a problem, however if you happen to be noticing them regularly you need to seek help.
There are actually two species of rat that you might run into in Catshill, common (brown) rats and black rats. It is pretty unlikely that you will ever come across a black rat, and if you have encountered a rat fairly recently the chances are it will have been the more common brown rat (Rattus Norvegicus). Black rats (or ship rats) were once common and were the cause of the Great Plague during the 17th Century, they're quite rare now, although where they are seen they've got good hearing, are terrific climbers, and the females can produce between twenty and one hundred baby rats every twelve months.
The brown rat is larger than the black rat (Rattus Rattus) and may weigh up to half a kilo, with a length of approximately 9 inches. Brown rats may cause problems because they've got to continually chew on things to prevent their teeth from growing too much. Timber is particularly more prone to this attention.
Rats spread disease, leave droppings, gnaw through pipes, wires, woodwork and insulation, and will generally cause problems in homes and business premises in and around Catshill. Property owners should always report any sightings of rats to the relevant local authority. You could also report rat sightings on the .gov website HERE.
You'll oftentimes become aware of the presence of rats not by in fact seeing them, but by them indicating their existence by other means. It could be that you could stumble upon a rat's nest in some out of the way location, you might start seeing droppings in cupboards or on floors, you may observe rat holes gnawed into floorboards or skirting boards or you may hear noises coming from a loft, wall or floor.
To deal with this problem there are two or three strategies that you could take. You could put traps or poison down yourself, you can get in touch with your local Catshill authority or council or you could track down a rat catcher or pest removal specialist. In these modern times rat catchers normally come under the umbrella of pest control, and pest control services don't only deal with rats but additionally fleas, mice, cockroaches, moles, wasps, bedbugs and all manner of household and garden pests. (Tags: Rat Catcher Catshill, Pest Control Catshill )
What Attracts Rats?
Irrespective of their outwardly cute look, with their twitching whiskers, fur covered bodies and pointy faces, mice and rats can be dangerous and are certainly not creatures that you want to be living in your house or garden in Catshill. Rats and mice can cause damage to your home by chewing through floorboards, plasterboard, electric wires and plastic, and are often responsible for fires and other problems. More than 30 different sorts of disease are spread by rats and mice including conditions like bubonic plague, toxoplasmosis, trichinosis, salmonella, rat bite fever, typhus, listeria, Weil's disease and tularemia. So, the main things that may attract rats and mice to your garden and home are:
- COMPOST/PET WASTE - Remarkably pet waste and even piles of compost can be attractive to rodents - there are some tasty morsels hiding in there!
- CLUTTER - General clutter in a shed, cellar or loft will be especially attractive to rodents, especially if there is a food source nearby.
- RUBBISH - An accumulation of garbage and garden waste piled up on your property (especially in the garden) will attract mice and rats.
- ENTRY POINTS AND HOLES - Rats and mice can crawl through the smallest of cracks and holes, so keep an eye out for gaps around air vents, crawl spaces, entrances and plumbing.
- FOOD - Food that is left lying around or discarded is perhaps the main attraction for mice and rats.
- WATER - Constantly busy rats and mice have to drink like any other creature, subsequently sources of water such as pet bowls, leaky pipes, birdbaths and dripping sprinkler systems are a big enticement for these unwelcome pests.
Reporting Rat Sightings
We will go into it a bit more now, though this topic was touched on further up the page. The local environmental health is where you should report it should you witness rats in a public space, in a neighbours garden or in your own garden. Sometimes councils offer a cost-free service for clearing rats but payment is usually needed for most pests like wasps, cockroaches and bed bugs. It's also very easy to report rat infestations using the .gov website which you can find HERE. You are obviously able to schedule your own rat catcher to come and handle the problem by going HERE.
Rat Bite Wounds
While, in the United Kingdom, rat bites aren't that commonplace, they do happen on the odd occasion, and the effects can be serious in some situations. If you happen to encounter a rat in a confined space, it could bite you if it feels stressed or cornered, therefore leave it an easy exit route and try to avoid it.
Rat bites have been known to occur in houses where rats are being kept as pets, and placing your hand into a rat's cage is definitely an action to be avoided. Even though they aren't always serious, rat bites can turn nasty or even fatal if they turn into "rat bite fever" (caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis), therefore they should be avoided if possible. If left without treatment "rat bite fever" (RBF) can cause death in 10% of cases.
Signs of Rat Bite Fever - Various symptoms and signs can be suffered by someone with "rat bite fever" (streptobacillary RBF) including things like:
- Vomiting
- A Rash
- Joint Pain
- Redness or Swelling
- Muscle Pain
- Fever
- Headache
If you're ever bitten by a rat you should immediately wash the affected area with warm water, apply an antibiotic ointment, and cover with a clean bandage. You must head for your nearest A&E unit and get it looked at, even if you don't think that it is too serious, or at the minimum book an appointment with your doctor or GP. It is also advisable to get a tetanus vaccine, in particular if you've not received one in the last five years.
Problems With Moles
A few rat catchers in Catshill will also help with mole problems. Bringing about quite different issues than rats, moles aren't quite as disliked. Gardens and lawns are mainly at risk when you have a mole problem. Beautifully trimmed lawns laden with ugly mounds of recently dug earth are sure signs of mole activity. The favorite and humane method to get rid of moles is by capturing with traps. (Tags: Molecatchers Catshill, Mole Trapping Catshill)
Burrows
Something that all rats like to do is burrow, and the place that they most like to burrow is near to solid structures and objects like garden shed bases, paths, garage foundations and patios. They build substantial burrow networks that provide them with nesting, shelter and food storage. The access points to burrows tend to be worn smooth by the constant comings and goings, so watch out for holes with smooth sides next to and beneath solid surfaces. Commonly 2" to 4" in diameter, burrow entrances are not difficult to recognize. A good way to ascertain if rats are nesting in the burrow is to throw some debris into the entrance and see if it has been cleared the next day.
Coming Next:
Fumigation services - article 211.
To Summarise
Having a problem with rats in Catshill is a situation that most of us dread, and when you find yourself in this scenario, you may have the urge to try to resolve it yourself. There are a number of products currently available to help you accomplish this and you'll buy rat traps, rat poisons and similar products in supermarkets, shops and hardware stores in and around Catshill.
Bringing in a competent Catshill rat exterminator would however be a better idea, unless you know exactly what you're doing, because the right strategy isn't necessarily the obvious one.
Usually the newcomer's use of rat poisons isn't really that successful, and can even do more harm than good - do you really want to risk harming your pets and children? If you have any doubts, speak to the professionals for your rat control in Catshill.
Other Pests in Catshill: Also professional help with bedbugs in Catshill, mice in Catshill, carpet beetles in Catshill, bees in Catshill, hornets in Catshill, wasps in Catshill, ants in Catshill, pigeons in Catshill, cockroaches in Catshill, rabbits in Catshill, silverfish in Catshill, moles in Catshill, fleas in Catshill, clothes moths in Catshill Worcestershire.
Pest Control Services Catshill
Catshill rat catchers can generally help with restaurant pest control Catshill, rat poison, commercial rat control Catshill, ants pest control Catshill, squirrel pest control, bird pest control Catshill, household pest control, guano removal, rat infestations, wasp pest control Catshill, ingress pest solutions Catshill, rat baits in Catshill, fogging & spray treatments in Catshill, pigeon pest control, pest control for fleas in Catshill, commercial pest control, insect heat treatments, rat removal, the installation of moth pheromone stations, domestic pest control Catshill, bed bug control, rat proofing, rat deterrents in Catshill, emergency pest control, rodent control, the removal of contaminated loft insulation, rat extermination, thermal imaging surveys for locating pests, mouse pest control Catshill, electronic pest control and other pest control in Catshill, Worcestershire. These are just a few of the activities that are accomplished by those installing pest control. Catshill specialists will be delighted to keep you abreast of their entire range of services.
Pest Control Near Catshill
Also find: Fairfield pest control, Lydiate Ash pest control, Park Gate pest control, Marlbrook pest control, Upper Catshill pest control, Dodford pest control, Wildmoor pest control, Lickey End pest control, Apes Dale pest control, Bell End pest control, Woodcote Green pest control, Broom Hill pest control, Lickey pest control, Burcot pest control, Bourneheath pest control, Bell Heath pest control, Sidemoor pest control, Bluntington rat catchers and more. All of these locations are served by local pest control. Catshill property owners can get price quotes by clicking here.
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