Oxford Rat Catchers (OX1): Seeing rats in your garden or house can be quite an alarming experience and whilst its not so regular an occurrence in Oxford nowadays, it is definitely not unheard of. Rats breed very quickly and will likely cause issues, particularly when there are a lot of them. Just one sighting of a lone rat will possibly not be much of a concern, but if you are observing them frequently it is best to take action.
If you do happen to notice rats in Oxford, the probability is that they're going to be brown rats, even though there are in fact two sorts of rats presently found in Great Britain; black (or ship) rats and brown (common) rats. As you may know ship rats were the cause of the Great Plague (17th C) at which time they were quite widespread. Black rats are relatively rare now and in fact neither species is native to the British Isles, both hailing from from Asia.
The black rat at 5 to 7" long, is a little smaller than the brown rat, which reaches lengths of up to about 9" and weighs in at close to half a kilo. Brown rats may cause damage because they need to constantly chew on things to stop their teeth from growing too long. Rats particularly choose to gnaw at wood.
Rats leave droppings, spread diseases, gnaw their way through pipes, woodwork, insulation and wires, and generally cause a nuisance in businesses and households throughout Oxford. Incidences of rats should always be reported to the local authorities. Or alternatively click HERE to report sightings of rats and pests on the .gov web page.
It's not always by appearance alone that you'll be alerted to the existence of rats, their actions are often quite enough to enlighten you. Its possible you may hear scratching noises coming from a loft, floor or wall, you may come across a rat's nest in some tucked away location, you might start seeing droppings on floors or in cupboards or you might spot holes chewed in skirting boards or floorboards.
To resolve this issue there are two or three approaches you could consider. You could put poison or traps down yourself, you could get in touch with your local Oxford authority or council or you could bring in a pest removal specialist. In the good old days, rat catchers were precisely that, however today they tend to be referred to as pest controllers and will not only be able to help you tackle getting rid of rats but also moles, ants, mice, cockroaches, wasps and more. (Tags: Pest Control Oxford, Rat Catchers Oxford )
Rat Traps Oxford
Whether you're intending to deal with the rat situation by yourself or whether you are bringing in professionals, one of the ways to do this is by using rat traps. Rat traps can be developed to kill a rat or to humanely capture rats for release later. Individuals who don't like to think of animals of any sort harmed, will doubtless opt for the capture style of trap. Rat traps come in all size and shapes and include: enclosed poison traps, spring loaded bait traps, electronic rat traps and cage traps.
Rat Poison
Putting down poison is perhaps one of the more horrible ways to get rid of rat infestations. A rat will die several days after consuming a poisoned bait, typically wheat grain. When its set in the optimal position within an area where rats have been spotted, the poison can pretty rapidly kill a large number of rats. Poisonous chemicals that are employed in rat poison includes: bromadioline, brodifacoum or difenacoum. Dogs and pets can also be killed by coming into contact with such rat poisons, so use caution. Well known brands of rat poison sold in Oxford include the likes of: Elixir Gardens, Pest Expert, Roshield, RatKil, Rentokil and Propest. (Tags: Rat Poison Oxford, Rat Poisons Oxford)Species of Rat
There are 2 sorts of rat that you could encounter in Oxford or in fact any place else in Great Britain. The Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) and the Black Rat (Rattus Rattus).
The Brown Rat
The most widespread type of rat seen in the United Kingdom, and also in Europe, is the brown rat (Norwegian Rat (Rattus Norvegicus), street rat, sewer rat or common rat). This brown or grey coloured rodent attains lengths of 4" - 9" (plus the tail) and weight approximately 140 - 500 grammes. Though at one time believed to have spread from Norway (hence its name), it's now known to have come from China or at least Central Asia. Brown rats have good hearing but poor eyesight, they climb well and dig burrows, they're omnivores but favour grain cereals, the female rats will produce 5 litters of up to 14 young every year.
The Black Rat
Also not a native species of the British Isles, the black rat, ship rat or roof rat (Rattus Rattus) originally arrived in Europe from India. Almost certainly traveling in shipments of spices for the Roman Empire, the black rat eventually spread throughout Europe. The black rat was once a common sight in Britain however was largely replaced by the brown rat and is now not often seen. Reaching lengths of 5" to 7", this rat weighs in at around 75-230 grammes. Black rats have a reputation for spreading a variety of diseases, most notably typhus, tularemia, bubonic plague, toxoplasmosis, Weil's disease, rat bite fever, listeria, trichinosis and salmonella.
Signs of Rats
When you've got suspicions that you might have rats in your property or business, there are a number of ways in which you're able to tell. You should look out for holes or burrows near to solid surfaces, listen closely for continual scratching noises coming from rooves and walls, especially at nighttime, search for footprints or tail trails on loose soil or in dusty areas, keep your eyes peeled for faeces (droppings), they look just like large grains of rice and are dark brown in colour, pay attention to gnaw marks in wood, wires and cables, particularly in attics, watch for rub marks where their greasy fur leaves marks on walls and skirting boards.Rat Burrows
A thing that rats love to do is dig burrows, and the location that they predominantly love to burrow is at the side of solid objects or structures such as garages, terraces, shed bases and pathways. Rats excavate extensive burrow networks which are useful for a nesting place, food storage and shelter. Keep an eye out for holes having smooth sides, that have been polished by the steady ins and outs of these busy critters. The entrances to rat burrows are normally around two to four inches in diameter. You can check if rats are still living there by temporarily blocking up the entrance to determine if they come back and clear it.Problems With Mice
While not as disconcerting as finding rats scuttling around garden or house, mice could be just as much of a problem. Just like rats, mice gnaw at things, breed quickly, leave droppings, contaminate foodstuffs and are generally an annoyance. Also, like with rats, poisoning and setting traps are the preferred techniques for resolving mouse infestations in Oxford. Irrespective of whether you have an infestation of rats or mice, check out BARK to find a local Oxford pest controller to sort it out for you.
Obviously rats and rodents aren't just an issue in Oxford itself, they could crop up in Iffley, Eynsham, Whitecross, Wytham, Risinghurst, Summertown, Sunningwell, Cowley, Headington, Barton, Chawley, Garsington, Littlemore, Kennington, Osney, Marston, Wolvercote, Cumnor, Sandford and additional areas nearby.
When you've got a problem with rats in Oxford you could be tempted to try to solve it on your own - and needless to say many people in Oxford do just that. By looking in supermarkets, hardware stores and shops in and around Oxford, it is easy to purchase rat poisons, rat traps and similar merchandise. Having said that, unless you know exactly what you are at, it's probably wise to retain the services of an expert rat exterminator, who will have dealt with this issue hundreds if not thousands of times before, and will know automatically what the most effective solution is. Because of the risks to children and pets, the amateur use of rat toxins isn't generally recommended, and it's not always beneficial in any case. If you know what's better for you, use an experienced rat control service in Oxford for solving your rat problems.
Oxford rat catchers can generally help you with commercial pest control in Oxford, dead bird removal, rodent control Oxford, pest control in Oxford, mouse control in Oxford, insect heat treatments, rat prevention Oxford, ant control Oxford, rat proofing, dead animal removal in Oxford, pest netting, restaurant pest control, domestic pest control, wasp nest removal in Oxford, rat baits, domestic rat control, residential pest control Oxford and other types of pest control in Oxford, Oxfordshire.
Also find: Chawley rat catchers, Cowley rat catchers, Littlemore rat catchers, Osney rat catchers, Wytham rat catchers, Marston rat catchers, Garsington rat catchers, Sandford rat catchers, Iffley rat catchers, Cumnor rat catchers, Headington rat catchers, Wolvercote rat catchers, Summertown rat catchers, Kennington rat catchers, Risinghurst rat catchers, Whitecross rat catchers, Eynsham rat catchers, Sunningwell rat catchers, Barton rat catchers and more.
Oxford Rat Control Services
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More Oxfordshire rat catchers: London, Banbury, Carterton, Thame, Benson, Henley-on-Thames, Abingdon, Bicester, Oxford, Witney, Chipping Norton, Wantage, Kidlington, Eynsham, Faringdon, Chinnor, Didcot.
Rat catchers in OX1 area.
