For all your pest and vermin control needs; Fleas

Rats - Have you heard scuttling under the floorboards? 

Can you see signs of a potential rodent nesting site? 

Can you smell something unusual? 

Have you noticed any boxes / bags opened or nibbled?

1. One of the most common signs that rats have paid a visit is their faeces, which are dark and pellet-shaped, and look like large grains of rice. These tend to be clustered in certain areas, as rats often use the same spot to do their business and can leave up to 40 droppings in one night. It must be all that fibre!
2. Another clue can be gnawing marks on electrical cables, woodwork, plastic, brick and lead pipes, as well as torn bags of foodstuff and materials
3. In dusty, unused areas of a building, rats often leave footprints or tail marks
4. Rats can also leave a more unusual calling card; a greasy residue professionals call ‘smear marks’. Smear marks occur from their coats rubbing on the walls as they make their way along these trails to their nest or in search of food
5. You may also be able to hear the rats scratching, gnawing and scuttling around. Brown rats are prone to grinding their teeth and chattering when stressed, both very distinctive sounds. But correct identification is key, as these sounds can also be attributed to a squirrel infestation.

These are all signs of potential rodent activity. If you have any of the above please get in touch.

For pest control in Leeds, Wakefield, Pontefract, South Kirkby, South Elmsall, Upton, Hemsworth and West Yorkshire.

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.

Black rats have also been most notably blamed for the Black Death plague that swept through Europe in the 14th and 17th Centuries, although a study in 2015 suggests that they may not actually be responsible for the pandemic. 

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.

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.

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.

"Musophobia or murophobia is a fear of mice or rats, one of the most common specific phobias" 

There are two species of rat in Britain, the most common of which is Rattus Norvegicus, otherwise known as the Brown Rat or Common Rat

The other is Rattus Rattus, commonly referred to as the Black Rat or Ship Rat, which is now rarely found in the UK. 

Home for the brown rat is somewhere that provides food, water and shelter.

In homes, they will live in roof spaces, wall cavities or under floorboards.

In gardens, they will burrow into grassy banks or under sheds. Rat holes beside solid structures are sure signs of a nest.

Brown rats are also often found living in sewer systems.

Black rats are rare in Britain but occasionally found in shipping ports. They are also incredibly agile and so may be found nesting in roof spaces or attics.