The dangers: why we control rats
Pathogens and disease
Rats communicate and mark their territory by urinating everywhere they go, representing a significant public health risk.
They can carry many nasty diseases, which can spread to humans, normally through rats’ urine or body coming into contact with food preparation areas.
These include:
- Leptospirosis (often referred to as Weil’s disease)
- Salmonella
- Listeria
- Toxoplasma gondii
-
Hantavirus.
Property damage
The problems associated with rats are not just limited to public health. They also have a knack for causing structural damage.
Rats have to gnaw in order to keep their teeth in shape, and they’re not shy about what they gnaw on.
Cinderblock, wood, glass, metal, bone – rats’ teeth will take on pretty much any challenge, which is why they can cause untold damage to both homes, businesses and the occasional finger.
Flooding from gnawed pipes and electrical fires from chewed wires may be associated with rat infestations.
A rat spotted running through a restaurant can mean the end of the road for that establishment, while no-one wants to share a hotel swimming pool with a bathing rodent.
And aside from the reputational costs, there are also fines for businesses found to have a pest problem. These usually come at a significant expense and repeat offenders are in danger of facing legal action.
Environmental Health Officers can issue enforcement notices to business owners who don’t have adequate pest management procedures in place.
Rats around the home
It goes without saying that rat infestations can have a devastating impact on personal wellbeing.
Aside from the health risks, the sound of them scuttling around the home, the evidence of their presence and the damage they can cause do little to help householders sleep easy.
- Rat Poison is highly effective at killing rats and easy to use. Our poison bait is loaded with proven attractants to ensure rats consume their lethal dosage fast. For best results and to reduce accidental exposure, we highly recommend using a Bait Station
- Rat Traps are a very effective method for controlling rat infestations and provide the peace of mind knowing that the measures you have chosen are working. Our Rat Traps are extremely powerful, ensuring that you are not left with the unpleasant task of killing the rat yourself. Rat Traps are ideal for use in chemical sensitive areas and where exposure to poisons is a risk to non-target animals.
- Rat Killer kits combine the best products on the market, to rid you of your rat pest problem quickly and efficiently. Our Ready Made Rat Killer Kits provide all the necessary equipment for the control of small to large scale rat infestations, helping to reduce the economic costs and health risks associated with having a rat infestation in your home.
- Rat Trap Cages are ideal for use in gardens or in the home. They are very effective at controlling and observing rat infestations. Rat Cages are designed to capture rats without causing any threat to other animals that may venture in accidentally, as they use no poisons or ‘snap traps’. As it is illegal to release captured live ship rats back into the wild, the captured rat will need to be humanely killed.
They are much larger than normal house mice, with the males weighing in at 500 grams and the females at 335 grams. They can be up to 25 centimetres in length, without the tail. The fur is usually brown or grey, although you may run across a black rat from time to time.
Rats no longer carry the plague, but they do carry another fatal disease. Leptospirosis, or Weil’s disease, can be fatal to humans. They also carry and can transmit ringworm. If cornered, they may lash out and bite as they try to escape. Rats also cause a great deal of damage to the home. They will gnaw through cables and electrical lines and the holes they can create in your home can grow large enough to compromise the structure.
If you ever see little tracks in dust on the floor that are accompanied by a tail mark then you should absolutely begin treating for a rat infestation. Smears of grease on walls or other solid surfaces are left behind when they rub against items and are also a cause for concern.
Some local authorities may remove rats from private residences for a charge or you can hire a professional to come in and do the job. Alternatively you can do some DIY rat control with products from Pest Control Supplies. There are excellent products available to help you clear your home of these invading rodents and protect your family. Here are a few of your options.
Set down in an area the rats may visit, the rat poison is highly effective at killing rats but care needs to be taken when placing the poison as the enticing odour can also be appealing to your pets. The rats will usually wander off to die in private so you could be left with an unpleasant odour if you don’t search for the offending corpse. Rat poisons contain anti-coagulants which slowly kill the rat over a period of time, this is to ensure that other rats will continue to eat the bait and not immediately associate it with death.
These are larger than mouse traps and are usually spring-loaded. Choose a rodent trap that is properly sized and powerful enough to finish the job so you are not left with the unpleasant task of killing the creature. The rat traps are usually effective and you will have the satisfaction of knowing that the measures you have chosen are working.
Bait lures the rat into the trap. When they step on a footplate an electric volt will kill the intruder. The carcass can then be emptied neatly into the trash bin. The Electronic Battery Operated Instant Rat Killer Trap is highly effective and safe to work.
Of course, you don’t have to actually kill the rats. One of the simplest solutions is to have a cat or dog in the house. These animals will typically make your home less inviting to rats. However, it is important to note that it is illegal to release captured live ship rats back into the wild. Therefore any ship rats captured alive should be humanely killed.
One of the best options is to use a rat repellent system such as ultrasonic rat repellents. These devices usually plug into an electrical socket where they emit a sound that only rodents can hear. Dogs and cats are unaffected by it, but if you have any pet rodents such as pet hamsters or gerbils then these shouldn’t be used.