An infestation of rats can be quite distressing. This is why Shiners have a 24hr helpline. Our dedicated BPCA trained team will make them disappear. Rats pose a serious health threat and the damage they cause to property by gnawing pathways through your property including damage to electrical wiring. This can be expensive and dangerous.

Risks:

• Damage to property - Rats gnaw relentlessly, rats can chew through floor joists, electrical wiring, pipes, doors, floorboards.  Rats will also shred through your loft insulation, sofas, bedding, paper and other materials within your home to make their nest.
• Food contamination -  Rats can transmit diseases such as Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia and Salmonella. These diseases are dangerous and can even prove fatal.

Signs of Rats:

• Rat Droppings - Rats excrete around 40 times per day, and are between 1/4" and 1/2” in length. Rat droppings are dark brown and similar in shape but larger than a grain of rice.
• Rub Marks - Grease and dirt on their bodies leaves smudges along the walls or skirting board surfaces.
• Gnaw Marks - You may notice gnaw marks through food packaging, walls, on wires too, often leaving cables dangerously exposed. You may also discover boxes and other items in your kitchen or attic eaten away.
• Rat Holes - Brown rats are notorious or digging holes and creating networks to from their nesting place leading to food supplies. The can also utilise or widen existing gabs from plumbing and cabling.
• Rat Nests - You may discover shredded materials such as loft insulation, cushion stuffing, cardboard etc. which have been chewed and distributed for nesting.
• Sounds - You may also hear scurrying, scratching or squeaking sounds within walls and flooring. You are more likely to notice this at night when it is quiet and they are more active. If you have spotted any rats or noticed any of the above signs, it is essential to take action as early as possible to avoid further infestation and risk to health.