RATS
There are two species of rat in Britain, Rattus Norvegicus which is commonly known as the Brown Rat or Common Rat. The Rattus Rattus, referred to as the Black Rat or Ship Rat is now rarely found in the UK.
If you have never had rats before it is unlikely you will know exactly what needs to be done for effective rat removal. It’s common for most homeowners to not know what to do about a pest problem until they discover the pest infesting their property.
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For businesses, It is well know how much impact pests can have and how they can affect brand reputation, customer reviews, employee morale, operational efficiency and ultimately revenue and profits. Having a rat infestation in your business can cause you to lose inventory, create property damage and pose health risks to employees.
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DIY rat removal and control is rarely effective. It may seem the cheaper option but the effectiveness of a sub-standard products, incorrect pest identification treatment and/or ultimately additional professional services will make the overall cost higher in the long run.
INFESTATION IDENTIFICATION
How to spot if you have rats?
RAT DROPPINGS
Brown Rat droppings are dark brown in a tapered, spindle shape - like a grain of rice.
RUB MARKS
Grease and dirt on their bodies leaves smudges on surfaces.
GNAW MARKS
Black rats are agile climbers and often found in lofts. You might notice gnaw marks on wires, cabling or items stored in the loft .
RAT HOLES
Brown rats are well known for digging extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage and nesting.
RAT NESTS
Rats will shred available materials such as loft insulation, cardboard and other soft items to make nests.
FOOTPRINTS
Rats leave foot and tail marks in dusty, less-used areas of buildings.
SPECIES OF RAT FOUND IN THE UK
Brown RAT
The Brown Rat is the larger of the species in the UK. They possess a well developed sense of smell and are sensitive to sudden noise.
They inhabit wall cavities, roof space or under floorboards. Brown Rats are also often found living in sewer systems and use these as a means to invade a property.
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The insurance sector have estimated that rodent damage to wiring is responsible for 25% of all electrical fires in buildings.
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Black Rat
Black Rats have well-developed senses of
smell taste and touch.
Smaller than the Brown Rat, they can carry many nasty diseases which spread to humans, normally through their urine.
Black Rats can inflict a great amount of structural damage. They can cause serious fires by gnawing away the insulation around electrical cables, floods by puncturing pipes and even death by chewing through gas pipes.
TECHNIQUES EMPLOYED
GOODNATURE HUMANE TRAPS
Full Guard's favourite. The Goodnature Traps.
The A24 automatic mouse traps is designed specifically to target mice and rats. It is humane, fully automated and toxin-free.
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Capable of despatching 24 rats without the need for resetting, we are able to deal with the most prolific infestation in the shortest possible time.
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Goodnature's engineered bait formula, has proven incredibly effective attracting rats, and
we at Full Guard have to agree, we have had fantastic results.
