Wickford Rat Catchers (SS11): While it is not such a frequent occurrence nowadays in Wickford, people can still have issues with rats once in a while. Spotting rats in your garden or inside your house isn't a pleasant experience, and is enough to cause some home owners the shakes. Lone rats are unlikely to create that much of an issue, but of course rats reproduce rapidly and may begin to cause issues when they grow in numbers.
While neither of the 2 rat types currently seen in the UK originate from these shores, they've certainly made themselves at home. The brown rat is especially common (hence its name) while the black (ship) rat isn't so much so nowadays. Both varieties came from Asia and arrived in Great Britain on ships.

Brown rats are bigger than black rats weighing in at half a kilogram and reaching lengths of approximately nine inches. To wear down their continuously growing incisors, brown rats need to keep on gnawing at things, which is why they cause such a lot of damage and destruction. Their attention is commonly focused on stuff made out of wood.
Rats spread diseases, leave behind droppings, gnaw through woodwork, wires, pipes and insulation, and basically cause a nuisance in businesses and homes in and around Wickford. The local council should be informed whenever rats are spotted. You might also report problems with rats on the .gov website HERE.

You may not actually need to witness rats to confirm that they're there, due to the fact that there are numerous signs that could betray their activity. Its possible you could come upon a rat's nest in some hidden location, you may notice droppings on floors or in cupboards, you could hear noises coming from a wall, floor or loft or you could come across holes chewed into skirtings or floorboards.
If you want to have this problem managed correctly it is best to speak to a professional. You can either get in contact with your local authorities or call in a professional Wickford rat catcher or pest controller for yourself. Back many years ago, rat catchers were simply that, however presently they're known as pest control experts and won't just be able to help with getting rid of rats but also eliminating mice, ants, moles, cockroaches, wasps and more. (Tags: Pest Control Wickford, Ratcatchers Wickford )
Rat Traps: Whether you're going to deal with the rat situation by yourself or whether you're employing professionals, one of the ways to achieve this is to use rat traps. Rat traps may be developed to exterminate a rat or to compassionately imprison a rat for release later. Individuals who are loathe to see creatures of any kind harmed, will certainly choose the capture kind of trap. If you have a look around you should obtain plenty of varying designs such as: electronic rat traps, cage traps, spring loaded bait traps and enclosed poison traps.
Rat Poison: One way to deal with a rat infestation is to put down poison. This is generally done by leaving a bait laced with poison, that is then eaten by the rat resulting in death several days later. A large gathering of rats may be killed by this process as long as the poison is set correctly. Commonly bromadioline, difenacoum or brodifacoum are the poisons used. You need to be very careful to keep these poisons away from dogs and cats. Well known brands of rat poison made in Britain include: Propest, RatKil, Elixir Gardens, Rentokil, Pest Expert and Roshield.
Species of Rat
There are actually 2 kinds of rat that you're likely to come across in Wickford or in fact any place else in the UK. They are the Black Rat and the Brown Rat.
The Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus):
The brown rat (street rat, Norwegian Rat (Rattus Norvegicus), sewer rat or common rat) is the most commonly seen rat in the UK and throughout Continental Europe (also North America). This grey or brown coloured rat reaches lengths of 4 to 9 inches (plus tail) and weighs in at 140 to 500g. Even though once considered to have originated from Norway, it is now known to have initially come from China. Brown rats have poor eyesight but excellent hearing, they climb well and burrow a lot, they're omnivores but favour cereals and grains, the female rats often reproduce five litters of up to 14 pups per year.
The Black Rat (Rattus Rattus):
Originating in Southeast Asia the black rat, roof rat or ship rat (Rattus Rattus) is also not native to the British Isles or Europe. Understood to have been spread in Roman times, this rat quite possibly reached Europe and the UK inside cargoes of spices. Once common in Britain, this rat disappeared as the brown rat became dominant. This rat gets to lengths of 5" to 7" and weights of 75-230g. Well known for passing on diseases and pathogens black rats are often the cause of bubonic plague, rat bite fever, salmonella, typhus, tularemia, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, Weil's disease and listeria.
Signs of Rats: There are numerous ways by which you can find out if you've got rats. If you have an inkling that there may be rats in your business or property you can look out for burrows or tunnels next to solid surfaces, try to find footprints or tail trails on loose soil or in dusty areas, keep an eye out for faeces (droppings), they are dark brown in colour and look much like large grains of rice, check for gnawing in wires, cables and wood, especially in attics, listen closely for scratching noises coming from walls and roofs, particularly at nighttime, watch for rub marks on skirting boards and walls where greasy fur has left marks.
Rat Burrows: A thing that rats like to do is burrow and dig, and the location where they most like to do it is beside solid structures and objects such as garage foundations, garden shed bases, terraces and walkways. Perfect for a nesting place, shelter and food storage, burrows are excavated into substantial systems which can even cause damage if allowed to continue. A certain sign of a rat burrow is usually a hole with smooth sides by the side of a solid structure, where the comings and goings of furry critters have polished the burrow entrance. When you discover holes but aren't sure if they're made by rats, they'll typically be about two to four inches in diameter. A great way to ascertain if rats still live in that specific burrow is to toss a bit of stuff into the entrance hole and check if it has been cleared away the next day.
Reporting Rats and Pests: We discussed this subject before, so here let's go into it a bit more. The local environmental health is where you should report it should you notice rats in a public place, in a neighbours garden or in your own garden. When it comes to rats this is quite often a cost-free service, though you will usually be faced with a charge for some other infestations such as cockroaches, bed bugs and wasps. Sightings of rats may also be reported by visiting the .gov webpage HERE. You're obviously able to organize your local rat catcher to come and handle the issue by going HERE.
What Attracts Rats?
Irrespective of their outwardly cute look, with their pointy faces, twitchy whiskers and furry bodies, mice and rats can be dangerous and are certainly not creatures that you want to be living in your home or garden in Wickford. Rats and mice are known to cause fires and other problems around the home by gnawing through wood, plastic, electrical wiring and plasterboard. More than 30 different kinds of disease are spread by rats and mice including conditions like bubonic plague, rat bite fever, salmonella, typhus, tularemia, trichinosis, toxoplasmosis, Weil's disease and listeria. Among the things around your garden and home that are attractive to mice and rats are:
- ENTRY POINTS AND HOLES - Rats and mice can squeeze through the tiniest of cracks and holes, so be on the lookout for gaps around doorways, roof vents, crawl spaces and piping.
- FOOD - Food left discarded or lying around is one of the principal attractions for mice and rats.
- PET WASTE/COMPOST - Remarkably pet waste and even heaps of compost can be attractive to mice and rats - they'll find plenty of tasty morsels hiding in there!
- RUBBISH - An accumulation of garbage and garden waste piled up on your property (especially in the garden) will attract rats and mice.
- WATER - Rats and mice have to drink, consequently water sources such as birdbaths, dripping sprinkler systems, pet water bowls and leaky pipes are a big temptation for these unwelcome pests.
- CLUTTER - General clutter in cellar, gardenshed or loft will be particularly attractive to rats and mice, especially if there's a food source nearby.
Obviously rodents aren't just an issue in Wickford, they could occur in Langdon Hills, Pitsea, Rawreth, Crays Hill, Battlesbridge, Downham, Rayleigh, Runwell, Bowers Gifford, South Woodham Ferrers, Little Burstead, North Benfleet, Rettendon Common, Basildon, Laindon and additional locations close by.

Folks with rat problems in Wickford are occasionally tempted to have a crack at resolving it for themselves. Therefore, if you find yourself in this situation, what ought you to do? Rat poisons, rat traps and other products are readily accessible in supermarkets, hardware stores and shops in the Wickford area, so the items that you need can easily be bought. A professional rat exterminator in Wickford is however the ideal person for the job, seeing that removing rats isn't necessarily as straightforward as you may imagine. Generally speaking the amateur use of rat poisons isn't really that effective, and could even make matters worse - do you really want to risk doing harm to your pets and children? If uncertain, speak to the professionals for your rat control needs in Wickford. (Tags: Rat Exterminators Wickford, Rat Control Wickford, Rat Removal Wickford)
Wickford rat catchers will likely help you with mole catching, rat prevention in Wickford, commercial pest control, pest netting Wickford, rat proofing in Wickford, ultrasonic pest control, rat catching, dead animal removal in Wickford, rat deterrents Wickford, restaurant pest control, cockroach control, bird proofing Wickford, rat poison, domestic pest control, mouse control, rat baits, residential pest control and other pest control in Wickford, Essex.
Pest Control Nearby
Also find: Runwell rat catchers, Downham rat catchers, Bowers Gifford rat catchers, Rawreth rat catchers, Crays Hill rat catchers, Nevendon rat catchers, Ramsden Heath rat catchers, Little Burstead rat catchers, Battlesbridge rat catchers, Rettendon Common rat catchers, North Benfleet rat catchers, Ramsden Bellhouse rat catchers and more.
Wickford Rat Control Services
- Wickford Commercial Pest Control
- Wickford Rat Removal
- Wickford Rat Catchers
- Wickford Pest Removal
- Wickford Rat Catching
- Wickford Rodent Control
- Wickford Domestic Pest Control
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- Wickford Rat Deterrent
- Wickford Mole Catchers
- Wickford Rat Trapping
- Wickford Rat Extermination
- Wickford Pest Inspections
- Wickford Mouse Control
More Essex rat catchers: Corringham, Great Dunmow, Langdon Hills, Westcliff-on-Sea, Holland-on-Sea, Stansted Mountfitchet, Stanford-le-Hope, Hawkwell, Southend-on-Sea, Purfleet, Halstead, Coggeshall, Chelmsford, Wickford, Upminster, Walton-on-the-Naze, Burnham-on-Crouch, Billericay, Hadleigh, Heybridge, Stanway, South Woodham Ferrers, Wivenhoe, Hullbridge, Witham, Brentwood, Leigh-on-Sea, Chingford, Laindon, Chigwell, Rainham, Shoeburyness, Loughton, Brightlingsea, South Benfleet, Hornchurch, Frinton-on-Sea, Grays, Chafford Hundred, Waltham Abbey, Great Baddow, Barking, Hockley, Pitsea, Buckhurst Hill, Tiptree, Maldon, Ingatestone, Tilbury, Dagenham, North Weald Bassett, West Thurrock, Harlow, Romford, Southchurch, Galleywood, Epping, Writtle, South Ockendon, Saffron Walden, Danbury, Parkeston, Manningtree, Harwich, Canvey Island, Clacton-on-Sea, Ilford, Rochford, Colchester, Southminster, Rayleigh, Braintree, Basildon, West Mersea, Great Wakering and Chipping Ongar.
Rat catchers in SS11 area.