Rat pest control

Rats have a constant need to gnaw to keep their continuously growing teeth trimmed. They can chew through electrical wiring, creating a fire hazard, pipes, leading to water damage, wood, drywall, and insulation, compromising the structural integrity of buildings.

Rats are attracted to human environments due to readily available food, shelter, and water sources, however being largely nocturnal, their presence might go initially unnoticed.

With an average six litters per annum rat populations grow very rapidly, therefore a minor problem can quickly turn into a major infestation.

Rats routinely urinate to mark their territory, contaminating surfaces, posing a risk of food poisoning and other infections such as Leptospirosis (Weil’s disease), Salmonellosis, Hantavirus and Rat-bite fever.

Rats are very agile and excellent climbers and swimmers. An adult rat can squeeze through a gap of 24mm and if the hole is too small they can use their teeth to increase the diameter until they do fit. Brown rats are the only rodent to actively live and use the sewerage system and a significant amount of rat issues are associated with damaged sewer pipes.

Look out for rat droppings. Approximately 40 droppings are left in a small number of places where rats feel safe. Fresh droppings are shiny and soft, hardening and losing their sheen after a couple of days. They are large (up to 12mm) and spindle shaped.

Footprints in dusty / wet environments and greasy marks on surfaces are another indicator, often seen in larger infestations. Other signs include tunnels, squeaking and gnawing sounds at night, and bite marks on wood, cables, or even metal, as rodents constantly gnaw to keep their ever-growing teeth sharp.

You should also look out for musty urine smell, nesting material, external burrows in earth banks, beneath concrete or around sewerage inspection points.  As rodents will often use the same routes a mammal the size of a rat can produce a “run” through grass.

Nurture Pest Control is a trusted expert in rat pest removal and control, offering thorough site assessments to pinpoint the extent of the problem, identify nesting areas, and take environmental factors into account.

If rat activity is found, we will develop a bespoke integrated pest management plan. This may include:

• Sealing holes inside and outside your property to prevent entry
• Rat traps strategically placed to control the rat population.
• Tamper-resistant bait stations and rodenticides, in some instances. All Nurture Pest technicians abide by the Campaign for Responsible Rodenticide Use (CRRU) code of best practice.

Every solution is customised to the scale and specifics of your infestation.

There are many distinct factors that will affect the price of rat control. These are:

• Size of infestation – the number of rats located on site may require more intensive treatment.
• Type of treatment
• Size of property
• Number of treatments required.

If underlying causes such as access points or food sources are not addressed, rats may return. That’s why our service focuses on prevention and proofing advice, reducing the likelihood of reinfestation.

DIY methods rarely address the root cause of an infestation. Professional rat pest control ensures safe, effective removal while identifying how rats entered your property and how to prevent future issues.

Yes. For high-risk environments, particularly commercial sites, we offer ongoing monitoring and maintenance programmes as part of our rat pest control services.