They say that you are never more than 5ft from a rat in the UK, Are you living within 5ft of a rat in Solihull? Here’s what our pest control expert from ProKill has to say. If this saying is true then it will be the Brown rat, he or she also goes under many names, Sewer rat, Water rat, Common rat, Norway rat and Wharf rat. The Brown rat Rattus norvegicus arrived in Europe from East Asia in the 17th century replacing the Black rat in the UK the Black rat last domain are ports. The Black rat was thought to be the cause of the Black Death (Bubonic Plague) this has never being proven.
The Brown rat is generally brown but this can vary, they weigh between 150-500grm with a length of 440mm including the tail. The brown rat will live happily under your garden shed and decking where it is dry and safe from predators, he will burrow at least 2 foot underground, stream, river banks, farms (especially pig units, stables and poultry are all places you will find the Brown rat, major problems can occur when they decide to set up home in your house causing damage to electric wires and the fabric of the building etc. The Brown rat is not very agile but will climb, he is a good swimmer and will travel 100 meters from his harbourage to feed. Activity is mainly at night (nocturnal) with peak activity at dusk and 3am. They will deposit 40+ droppings per day often in communal areas (rat toilet areas) faeces are capsule shaped and 20mm long. The Brown rat does not like new objects this is called Neophobia (new object shyness) when carrying out a baiting programme it can take up to two weeks or longer before the Brown rat will enter the bait station. The Alpha male will feed first and controls juveniles, females and the colony, fighting and cannibalism is common. The Brown rat gestation period is 21 days and will produce 3 to 6 litters a year, each litter size can be between 7 to 8 young born blind and naked, eyes open at 14 days.
The brown rat is omnivorous, with plant and animal material eaten, mice are often eaten and they will kill poultry and small piglets.
There are many reasons we need to control the Brown rat, Diseases, Agricultural damage, Damage and contamination to food stores, structural damage, Human fear, bites etc Rats are carries of Weils disease (Leptospiral Jaundice) it is thought that 50% of the UK rat population are carriers of this disease, the disease can be transferred to man through cuts or by mouth for example not washing your hands before eating food, this disease at its worst can kill. Do you have a Brown rat living 5feet from you in Solihull? Get expert pest control help here from ProKIll http://www.thebestof.co.uk/local/solihull/business-guide/feature/prokill/72680
