Dartford Rat Catchers (DA1): Though it isn't all that commonplace in these modern times, noticing a rat in your house or garden in Dartford is not really a pleasant thing to go through. One single sighting of a rat should not be too much of a cause for concern, nonetheless, if you witness the presence of rats more frequently or notice more than one you could soon be heading for trouble because they tend to reproduce so fast.
There are 2 species of rat that you may come across in Dartford, common (brown) rats and black rats. It is fairly unlikely that you'll ever see black rats, and if you have seen a rat recently it's likely to have been one of the more common brown rats (Rattus Norvegicus). Black rats (or ship rats) were at one time common and were blamed for the Great Plague during the 17th Century, they're relatively scarce now, though when they are seen they've got good hearing, are amazing climbers, and can give birth to between 20 and 100 baby rats in just one year.
The black rat (Rattus Rattus) at 5" to 7" long, isn't as big as the brown variety, which grows to a length of almost 9 inches and weighs around half a kilo. To wear down their constantly growing incisor teetn, brown rats must keep gnawing at things, which is the reason they're the cause of so much damage. Rats especially like to gnaw at wood.
Rat infestations will lead to a number of problems for home or business owners in and around Dartford, they will spread disease, gnaw through woodwork, insulation, pipes and wires, leave droppings, and get up to all sorts of mischief. Any frequent sightings of rats should be reported to the local environmental health department. In addition you can report a rat problem on the .gov website HERE.
You'll sometimes notice the presence of rats not by in fact seeing them, but by them indicating their activity in other ways. Perhaps you may spot holes chewed in skirting boards or floorboards, you might discover droppings on the floor or in cupboards, you may hear scratching coming from a loft, floor or wall or you could uncover a rat's nest in some tucked away location.
In order to have this situation resolved properly you will need to bring in a specialist. You could either get in touch with the local environmental health department or bring in a specialist Dartford rat catcher or pest controller for yourself. There aren't too many people these days who specialize only in issues with rats, so you can also contact them if you have a problem with a wasps nest in your walls or maybe moles in your lawn. (Tags: Rat Catcher Dartford, Pest Control Dartford )
Rat Traps
Rat traps are one of the solutions for dealing with a rat issue, whether you are tackling it by yourself or bringing a professional in. Rat traps may be built to kill a rat or to compassionately imprison rats for release later. The capture style are the ideal alternative for people who don't like to think of animals harmed in any way at all, even vermin. If you take a look around you'll get loads of varying patterns such as: cage traps, spring loaded bait traps, electronic rat traps and enclosed poison traps.
Rat Poisons
Using poison is perhaps one of the more unpleasant methods by which to remove rats and rodents. This is achieved by leaving a poisoned bait, which is subsequently ingested by the rat leading to its death within a few days. A considerable accumulation of rats may be eliminated by this process as long as the bait is set properly. Normally brodifacoum, difenacoum or bromadioline are among the poisons used. Rat poison won't just harm rats, dogs and pets are also vulnerable, consequently extreme care must always be taken in using it. Brands of rat poison made in Dartford include: Elixir Gardens, Roshield, Pest Expert, Rentokil, Propest and RatKil.Problems With Moles
Dartford rat catchers are sometimes also contacted to handle another issue, namely moles. Responsible for totally different issues than rats, moles are usually not quite so despised. It's out in the garden where you might have problems with moles, and lawns especially are susceptible. The familiar sight of heaps of earth in the middle of a nicely manicured lawn are the evidence of mole activity. Using traps is certainly the most acceptable and humane method to get rid of moles.Species of Rat
You're only going to run across two types of rat in Dartford, Kent and throughout Britain. The Black Rat and the Brown Rat.
The Brown Rat
In Dartford, the remainder of the UK and Continental Europe the most common kind of rat is the brown rat (sewer rat, common rat, street rat or Norwegian Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)), this is what you might discover in your garden or home. This grey or brown coloured rat attains lengths of 4 to 9 inches (plus tail) and weight approximately 140 to 500g. This species was named Norway Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) since it was assumed to have come to Great Britain by boat from Norway. The brown rat is now understood to have originated from China or Central Asia. Brown rats climb well and dig burrows, they have an acute sense of hearing but bad eyesight, the females can give birth to five litters each year, they feed on pretty much anything (omnivores) but favour grain cereals.
The Black Rat
The black rat, roof rat or ship rat (Rattus Rattus) is also not a native of Great Britain, originating in Southeast Asia (quite likely India). Understood to have spread at the time of the Roman Empire, this rat almost certainly reached Europe and the British Isles hidden in cargoes of spices. The black rat was once a common sight in the UK but was basically driven out by the brown rat and now is pretty rare. This rat reaches a length of five to seven inches a weight of 75-230 grammes. Black rats are notorious for spreading various diseases, notably toxoplasmosis, tularemia, salmonella, Weil's disease, typhus, rat bite fever, bubonic plague, trichinosis and listeria.
Do You Have Rats?
There are a number of ways that you can tell when you've got rats. If you've got an inkling that there may be rats in your home or business you should look out for burrows or holes next to solid objects, listen closely for scratching noises coming from rooves and walls, particularly at night, keep an eye out for faeces (droppings), they're dark brown in colour and look much like large grains of rice, hunt for signs of tail trails or footprints in dusty areas or on loose soil, pay attention to gnawing in cables, wires and wood, particularly in attics, watch for rub marks where their greasy fur leaves marks on skirting boards and walls.Burrows
When you have rats living in the garden, the likelihood is that there'll be a burrow somewhere. Rats like to burrow and they mostly excavate them near to solid structures and objects such as pathways, terraces, garden sheds and garage foundations. These are the spots to check out if you think you have rats nearby. They dig out substantial burrow networks that are useful for food storage, shelter and a nesting place. The access points to rat burrows tend to be worn smooth by endless coming and going, so keep an eye out for holes with smooth sides alongside solid surfaces. Normally two to four inches in diameter, entrance holes to rat burrows are not difficult to spot. Toss some stuff into the hole and check back the next day to find out if it's been moved. This can show if the rats are still in situ.Reporting Rat Sightings
We briefly discussed this previously, so here we'll go into it a bit more. The Environmental Health is the place to report it if you witness rats in a neighbours garden, in your own garden or in a public area. Occasionally local councils offer a free service for rat problems but charges are usually made for most infestations for instance bed bugs, cockroaches and wasps. Rat infestations may also be reported via the .gov webpage HERE. You're obviously able to schedule your local rat catcher to come and tackle the problem by clicking HERE.What Attracts Rats?
Irrespective of their outwardly cute appearance, with their furry bodies, twitchy whiskers and pointy faces, rats and mice can be dangerous and are certainly not animals that you want to be making a home in your house or garden in Dartford. Rats and mice are known to cause fires and other issues in homes and business premises in Dartford by nibbling through electric cables, plastic, skirting boards and plasterboard. Between them rats and mice can spread more than 30 sorts of diseases including conditions like toxoplasmosis, tularemia, salmonella, Weil's disease, typhus, rat bite fever, bubonic plague, trichinosis and listeria. Among the things around your garden and home that will be attractive to rats and mice are:
- COMPOST/PET WASTE - Surprisingly heaps of compost and even pet waste can attract mice and rats - they'll find some tasty morsels hidden in there!
- RUBBISH/TRASH - An accumulation of garbage and garden waste piled up on your property (especially in the garden) will definitely attract rodents.
- CLUTTER - General clutter and jumble in a shed, cellar or loft will be particularly attractive to rats and mice, particularly if there's a source of food nearby.
- WATER - Active mice and rats need to drink like any other creature, consequently water sources such as dripping sprinkler systems, birdbaths, pet bowls and leaky pipes are a big temptation for these unwelcome pests.
- ENTRY POINTS AND HOLES - Mice and rats can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks and holes, so keep an eye out for spaces around pipework, entrances, crawl spaces and vents.
- FOOD - Food left discarded or lying around is one of the primary attractions for rats and mice.
When you have a rat problem in Dartford you could be tempted to try to take care of it yourself - and needless to say plenty of householders in Dartford do just that. By looking around shops, hardware stores and supermarkets in the Dartford area, it is not too difficult to obtain rat traps, rat poisons and other solutions. A professional rat exterminator in Dartford is however the preferred person for the job, as controlling rats isn't necessarily as easy as you might think. The newcomer's use of rat toxins will likely do more harm than good, seeing that you have to be exceptionally careful with them when pets and children are around. If you've any doubts, get in touch with the professionals for your rat control in Dartford. (Tags: Rat Removal Dartford, Rat Exterminator Dartford, Rat Control Dartford)
Dartford rat catchers will likely help you with rat deterrents, restaurant pest control Dartford, commercial rat control, insect heat treatments, dead animal removal Dartford, bird pest control, rat extermination, rat prevention, cockroach control, commercial pest control, ant control, rat proofing, rat poison, rat trapping in Dartford, mole catching, electronic pest control, household pest control and other pest control in Dartford, Kent.
Pest Control Nearby
Also find: Green Street Green rat catchers, Darenth rat catchers, Belvedere rat catchers, Crayford rat catchers, Questor rat catchers, Hawley rat catchers, Temple Hill rat catchers, Sutton at Hone rat catchers, North Cray rat catchers, Leyton Cross rat catchers, Slade Green rat catchers, Welling rat catchers and more. It is possible to get pest control services in practically all of these villages and towns. Their extensive expertise and knowledge enable these professional pest controllers to efficiently and effectively tackle your rodent problem. The tools and skills necessary to promptly resolve a rat problem, whether it involves just one or a larger infestation, are readily available with these pest control experts. Local householders can get pest control quotes by clicking here.
Also seek assistance with mice in Dartford, clothes moths in Dartford, rabbits in Dartford, bees in Dartford, pigeons in Dartford, wasps in Dartford, fleas in Dartford, moles in Dartford, ants in Dartford, silverfish in Dartford, carpet beetles in Dartford, bedbugs in Dartford, cockroaches in Dartford Kent.
Rat catchers in DA1 area.
