Rats cause a lot of damage. As the teeth of rodents continue to grow over their lifetime, they need to gnaw on hard substances such as lead and plastic pipes, insulation material and electric wiring. This habit increases the risk of short circuits and fires. In addition to this, they transmit a number of dangerous diseases such as Salmonella, Leptospirosis (Weil's disease), Tuberculosis and even tape worms.
Rats cause a lot of contamination. One single rat equals more than 25000 droppings per year, which contain allergens that can cause acute allergic reactions.
Rats introduce secondary pests. Rats are also known to introduce other pests, such as fleas, mites and ticks into the premise, causing additional damage.
It is extremely serious if rats are getting into your home even if they are not entering a direct living area. Any rat problem inside the home must be treated urgently. Rats in the garden and other external areas can also be a high risk, particularly in areas used by children or pets. The larger rat species such as bandicoot rats can also damage plants with extensive burrowing activities. It is important to get rid of rats in the garden to reduce the risk of them trying to enter the home. Special care is needed for properties with integral garages or with dog or cat flaps as rats can use these to get into the home.
Rats are nocturnal and usually hide from humans. The typical signs of a rat problem in the home are:
Rats are common in Indian cities and metropolises and the first priority to prevent a rat infestation is to proof your home. Young rats can get through holes less than 1cm in diameter. So it is important to seal any holes or fit bristle strip around doors.
Ultrasonic repellers emit sound waves that are uncomfortable for rats but not audible to humans. These may help deter rats from entering a home in the first place, but we do not recommend them for existing infestations as rats can quickly acclimatise to the ultrasonic sound. It is important not to attract rats with food - store food in plastic or metal containers - and regularly clean under cookers and refrigerators. In outdoor areas, ensure household wastes are kept in closed bins. Do not put meat into compost heaps and use squirrel-proof bird feeders. Rats can come up from sewers through broken pipes. Hence, it is important to ensure that all pipe-work is in good order. If you have pets, make sure to remove any leftover pet foods immediately. Otherwise, you might end up attracting rats.
If not treated, a rat infestation can quickly take hold of your premsie. A wide range of DIY products such as the well known break-neck rat traps and rat poison baits are available in stores for dealing with rats in low risk areas. However, we do recommend treatment by one of our pest control technicians for rat activity in living areas or if the problem persists.
A wide range of rat control products for amateur use including rat traps and rat killer (rat poison) are available from stores, garden centers and grocery stores. It is essential to follow the instructions of rat poison carefully for safe and effective use and to ensure humane control of rats. Do not use rat poison baits inside your home, because if rats die in hidden places it will create problems with foul smell and attract other pests such as flies. Rat traps are very powerful and should only be used in areas that children, pets and wildlife cannot reach.