Swanscombe Rat Catchers (DA10): Even though it's not really a common occurrence nowadays in Swanscombe, householders do still have trouble with rats from time to time. Spotting a rat in your home or garden isn't a nice experience, and would be enough to give some people the shivers. Single rats aren't likely to cause very much of a problem, but of course rats breed rapidly and will start to cause issues as their numbers rise.
There are actually two types of rat which you might encounter in Swanscombe, black rats and common (brown) rats. It is pretty improbable that you will ever come across a black rat, and if you have encountered a rat just recently chances are it will have been the more commonplace brown rat (Rattus Norvegicus). Black rats (also known as ship rats) were at one time common and were to blame for the spread of the Great Plague during the 17th Century, they're fairly scarce nowadays, but where they do occur they're amazing climbers, have good hearing, and the females can give birth to between 20 and 100 baby rats every 12 months.
The longest and heaviest of the two rat breeds is the brown at around 9 inches, while the black rat only grows to between 5 and 7 inches. A lot of the damage and destruction caused by brown rats is down to the fact that to keep their incisor teeth from getting too much, they have to constantly gnaw on things. Their attention is often focused on items that is made of wood.
Rats cause an assortment of issues in businesses and homes in Swanscombe and they gnaw through woodwork, pipes, wires and insulation, transmit diseases, leave behind droppings, and generally cause a nuisance. Homeowners must report any sightings of rats to their local authorities. In addition you can report sightings of rats and other pests on the .gov web page HERE.
It isn't purely by sight that you'll be alerted to the presence of rats, their behaviour is sometimes enough to enlighten you. Its possible you might hear scratching noises coming from a floor, wall or loft, you might observe holes gnawed in skirting boards or floorboards, you may come across a rat's nest hidden away or you may start seeing droppings in cupboards or on floors.
To address this issue there are various strategies you might consider. You could put down poison or traps yourself, you can speak to the local Swanscombe authorities or you can locate a rat removal expert. These days rat catchers typically fall into the category of pest control, and pest elimination providers do not only remove rats but additionally moles, bedbugs, fleas, wasps, cockroaches, mice and many other kinds of household and garden pests.
Species of Rat
There are only 2 breeds of rat that you may encounter in Swanscombe or in fact anywhere else in the British Isles. The Black Rat and the Brown Rat.
The Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus)
The brown rat (Norwegian Rat (Rattus Norvegicus), street rat, sewer rat or common rat) is the most frequently seen rat in Britain and across Europe (also North America). The brown rat (it can often be grey in colour) is commonly 4" to 9" in length (without the tail) and weighs 140 - 500 grammes. It usually lives wherever humans are living. Nowadays known to have originally come from Central Asia, it was once deemed to have spread from Norway (hence its name). Brown rats dig a lot and climb effectively, they have poor eyesight but excellent hearing, the females can produce up to 5 litters per year, they feed on practically any foodstuffs (omnivorous) but prefer cereal grains.
The Black Rat (Rattus Rattus)
Also not native to Great Britain, the black rat, ship rat or roof rat (Rattus Rattus) initially came to Europe from India. Understood to have spread when the Roman Empire reigned supreme, this rat almost certainly reached Continental Europe and the UK hidden in cargoes of spices. Quite scarce nowadays in the UK, the black rat was largely replaced by the larger brown rat. Growing to lengths of 5-7 inches, the black rat weighs in at only 75g to 230g. Black rats are renowned for spreading various diseases, notably toxoplasmosis, tularemia, typhus, salmonella, trichinosis, listeria, rat bite fever, Weil's disease and bubonic plague.
Rat Poison
Using poison is perhaps one of the more nasty methods by which to get rid of rats. This is typically done by carefully positioning a poison laced bait, that's subsequently ingested by the rat resulting in death several days later. The placement of the poison is critical and will likely lead to the success or failure of this procedure. One or more of three primary compounds which are used in rat poisons are: difenacoum, brodifacoum or bromadioline. Rat poison won't only kill rats, pets and birds can also be affected, so care needs to be taken in using it. Rat poison brands in the British Isles include the likes of: Roshield, Pest Expert, RatKil, Propest, Elixir Gardens and Rentokil. (Tags: Rat Poison Swanscombe, Rat Poisons Swanscombe)
Rat Bite Wounds
Even though rat bites are not that commonplace in Great Britain, they certainly do occur periodically and they can be dangerous in certain situations. If you encounter a rat in a confined area, it could bite you if it feels cornered or pressured, so leave it a clear exit route and try to avoid it.
Some incidents of rat bites happen when rats are being kept as pets (really?), and pushing your hand into a rat's cage is asking for trouble. Rat bites can turn nasty or even fatal if they turn into "rat bite fever", so they must be avoided when possible, although of of course they're not always serious. "Rat bite fever" (RBF), if left untreated, can result in death in 10% of cases.
Symptoms of Rat Bite Fever (RBF) - The symptoms and signs of "rat bite fever" (streptobacillary RBF) can include:
- Muscle Pain
- Headache
- Redness or Swelling
- Fever
- Vomiting
- A Rash
- Joint Pain
If you're unfortunate enough to receive a rat bite, thoroughly wash the wound, put on some antibiotic ointment, and bandage the affected area. You need to make an emergency appointment with your doctor, or head to the closest A&E, even if you feel it isn't that severe. If you have not received a tetanus vaccination in the last 5 years, you should also ask for of these too.
Rat Traps
Whether you're likely to take care of the rat problem by yourself or whether you are hiring professional rat catchers, one way to accomplish this is by using rat traps. Rat traps may be developed to kill a rat or to humanely capture a rat for release later. The capture kind of rat trap are the ideal alternative for individuals who don't like to think of creatures hurt in any way whatsoever, even vermin. The available rat trap styles include the likes of: enclosed poison traps, electronic rat traps, cage traps and spring loaded bait traps.
What Attracts Rats and Mice?
While some people in Swanscombe might think that they're quite cute with their fur covered bodies, pointy faces and twitching whiskers, rats and mice are not animals that you want to have living in your home or garden, and can actually be dangerous to have around. Rats and mice have been known to cause fires and other problems in homes and business premises in Swanscombe by chewing through electric wires, plastic, floorboards and plasterboard. Between them mice and rats can spread more than 30 types of diseases including things like toxoplasmosis, tularemia, typhus, salmonella, trichinosis, listeria, rat bite fever, Weil's disease and bubonic plague. Among the things that will certainly attract rats and mice to your garden or home are:
- HOLES AND ENTRY POINTS - Rats and mice can crawl through the tiniest of cracks and holes, so be on the lookout for gaps around air vents, pipework, doorways and crawl spaces.
- CLUTTER - General jumble and clutter in gardenshed, basement or loft will be particularly attractive to rats and mice, especially if there is a source of food close by.
- TRASH/RUBBISH - Accumulations of garbage and garden waste piled up on your property (especially in the garden) will obviously attract mice and rats.
- WATER - Mice and rats have to drink, consequently sources of water like leaking pipes, dripping sprinkler systems, pet water bowls and birdbaths are a big temptation for these pests.
- COMPOST/PET WASTE - Incredibly pet waste and even heaps of compost can be attractive to rodents - there are a few tasty titbits hidden in there!
- FOOD - Food that is left lying around or discarded is one of the primary attractions for mice and rats.
To Summarise
People with rat problems in Swanscombe are sometimes tempted to have a bash at resolving it themselves. So, if you find yourself in this situation, what ought you to do? Rat traps, rat poisons and other merchandise is readily accessible in hardware stores, supermarkets and shops in the Swanscombe area, so the things that you need can be easily obtained.
Nonetheless, unless you're aware of precisely what you're doing, it is possibly a good idea to retain the services of an expert rat exterminator, who'll have resolved this issue hundreds of times before, and will automatically know what the ideal solution is.
Because of the dangers to pets and children, the amateur use of rat toxins isn't really advised, and is often not effective in any case. You'd be much better off enlisting the help of a specialist when you need rat control in Swanscombe. (Tags: Rat Removal Swanscombe, Rat Exterminators Swanscombe, Rat Control Swanscombe)
Pest Control Near Swanscombe
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