Rats

Significance

Rats are a hazard to health. They spread many forms of disease including food poisoning bacteria, such as salmonella; toxoplasmosis; leptospirosis (including Weils disease); and rat bite fever. Symptoms of diseases from rats can vary from mild to very severe, and rarely, can be fatal. Disease is spread through their droppings and urine, including contact with contaminated water, and their saliva. As they constantly need to gnaw to keep their teeth down, they can cause significant damage to the fabric of buildings and possessions/stock.

Signs of Infestation

• Damage caused by gnawing, holes, smears and droppings, packaging will often show tooth marks - the size of which will indicate whether it is a rat or a mouse.
• Holes made by the rats in doors and walls, and the entrances to nests, are about 80mm (three inches) in diameter, and nests may be made in wall and floor cavities.
• Rat runs- having established the best route from one place to another, rats tend to use this route frequently. This run becomes soiled with the grease and other dirt on the rat's fur and will be very apparent in even moderate infestations (smear marks).
• Rat droppings - the amount of rat droppings present is a good indication of the size of the infestation and how long they have been there. Rat droppings are dark and pellet-shaped, like large grains of rice. Rats can leave up to 40 droppings in one night and they tend to be clustered in certain areas.
• Scratching, gnawing and scuttling.Brown rats are prone to grinding their teeth.

Dealing with an infestation

The most important thing is removing any food source. If you are putting food out for birds, stop this straight away. A rat will travel for a mile to a known food source. Remove any sources of water and potential nesting sites e.g. compost heaps. Keep gardens clean and tidy, and cut back overgrown areas. Make sure there is no rubbish and food waste around. Seal any gaps and entry points. It would be a good idea to speak to your neighbours to ask if they also have problems and whether they are taking any action to address this.

Professional pest control

We would always recommend using a professional pest controller. They are trained and have access to a range of professional tools, poisons and equipment.

You can use the following link to find pest controller: Find a Pest Controller near me | Search pest control services (bpca.org.uk)

When looking for a pest contractor we recommend:

• Getting a couple of quotes as prices can vary
• Find out if there is a call-out fee
• Ensure they have public liability insurance
• Find out what service they will provide, and what guarantees (if the treatment does not work) 
• After the treatment, ask for full written report

If you choose to carry out pest control yourself

We would not recommend this, but particular care must be taken if you decide to carry out your own pest control.Poisons can be dangerous, especially for children and pets, and it is crucial that you follow manufacturers' instructions to reduce the risk and to minimise undue suffering. Please note that the use of glue/sticky traps are now illegal for anyone to use other than a specialist contractor who has been granted a licence for a particular purpose.

• Poison and bait boxes can be bought online or in the shops, but must only be used as a last resort and must be used cautiously and in such a way as to ensure that non target species are not at risk, which can be difficult to achieve.
• The safety precautions and instructions given on the packaging must be carefully followed.
• It is advisable to wear gloves when dealing with rat poison and wash your hands thoroughly afterwards.
• All rat bait should always be kept well away from children and pets
• Rat bait boxes should be used for baiting outside with bait secured on rods inside the box. Do not use loose poison outside, as this will potentially harm other animals.
• Rat poison should be placed on a flat surface in a secure location. If loose rat poison (grain bait) is being used inside a property it should be placed in the trays/containers and positioned where pets or children cannot access. For example, you may leave bait in trays in loft.
• Place the bait box against a wall or fence where rats have been seen.
• It may take a few days before rats eat the poison, as they are suspicious of new objects and therefore will not take the poison straight away.
• Rats will eat up to 25-30 grams of food at a time. It can take 3 meals to get enough poison into one rat to kill it.
• It is important to make sure bait is frequently being put down if it is being eaten, as not putting enough bait down allows the rats to build resistance to the poison.
• When no more bait is being taken, this is a sign that the infestation has been dealt with.
• All waste should only be disposed of using bin liners (double bagged) then placed in a bin with a secure lid.

If you require further advice, or have identified rats and have taken appropriate precautions and treatment, but the likely source of the infestation is an accumulation of rubbish on another person's property which is not being dealt with, you can contact Environmental Health on 01784 446251 or eh.residential@spelthorne.gov.uk