Pest Control Guide for Rats

Norway/Brown Rat

Have you recently noticed scratching noises, large droppings, musky smells or new holes around your home? Perhaps your pets have been fixated on a particular area of your house or garden? One of the most likely culprits is the Norway rat; the most common species of rat found in Ireland.

These rodents are adaptive, cunning and destructive. They can squeeze through gaps much smaller than their bodies appear, chew through most materials, and leave up to 15,000 droppings a year!

Dangers of Rats:

Rats can carry up to 40 disease which can be transmitted to humans, not to mention bacteria and parasites, e.g. leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), salmonella and fleas. These hazardous rodents will greatly impact on any property they visit; Gnawing on wires and pipes, scratching, burrowing, urinating and defecating, they are not roommates you should tolerate.

Appearance:

The name brown rat may be deceiving, they actually range in colour from brown to dark grey. They’re approximately 6 to 9 inches long, have thick bodies, blunt noses and hairless tails which are shorter than their bodies.

Life cycle:

The Norway rat lives for about 2 years, it reach adulthood within 2 months. Once it does it begin to breed continually, having around 6 litters per year with anywhere from 4 to 1o young per litter.

How to know if you have rats:

Rats are usually pretty good at making themselves known, loud scratching, gnawing, droppings, smells, eaten food, grease and tail marks, or burrows are usually present. Pets can also be good at alerting us to something being note quite right.

How do I know whether I have rats or mice:

One of the first signs we look for are droppings. Rat droppings are more akin to coffee beans while mouse droppings are like small grains of rice. Don’t be fooled by sounds, sometimes mice can make a lot of noise when they’re in the right location (such as wall or ceiling cavities). If you only have noise or missing food to go off then be cautious, do not attempt to use poisons, if you poison a large rat in an area where it can not be retrieved then you will create some nasty side effects! We possess specially designed boxes which can exclude one or the other and determine what type of rodent is present in your home.

How to get rid of rats:

The first step in effective pest control for rats is finding and eliminating their entry points; These can be holes in the property, damaged drainage systems or burrows. They should be repaired with rodent proof materials such as wire mesh or drainage rat flaps. The next step is to ensure there are no food sources for the rats to feed on, this can mean repairing bins, removing composting sites or packing away food into containers. Lastly, the rats need to be exterminated using appropriate methods and baits e.g. trapping, cages, poison blocks etc. If there are droppings or urine present you may also want to disinfect the area, but be careful not to hoover rat droppings or you can transmit pathogens around the room.

In the garden: Drainage and food sources can often be a culprit, so repairing drains and removing food or waste items is always necessary. If burrows are present they should be appropriately poisoned and sealed using specialised grain bait.

What does a pest control treatment for rats involve:

We start by taking a quick inspection of the property; our highly skilled technicians look for signs of rodents, possible entry points, drainage issues, as well as environmental and structural issues. Next, we repair all minor entry points with high quality rodent proof materials. We then proceed to lay the necessary traps and poisons within the home, garden and drainage system - ensuring they are secured and safe from pets, children and non-target wildlife. We return to your home to remove any rodents, re-set traps, and replenish poison until we are sure your home is rat free. Lastly, we’ll sterilise the areas to make sure its safe for you and your family. Our rodent treatment package ensures a fixed price with no hidden fees and guarantees quick success in eliminating rats from your home, garden or business.