Reasons for the need to control rodent pests
- Disease
Rats and mice are a public health risk and carry or have the potential to transmit a number of diseases to humans, through faeces, urine and bacteria carried on their paws.
Food contamination
They are usually found around where food is stored, processed, cooked or eaten and can contaminate that food source as they eat the same foodstuffs as humans.
Damage
Rats and mice need to gnaw on hard structures to wear down their continually growing incisor teeth and this will include wooden doors or frames, skirting boards and rubber cables.
Burrowing
Rats burrow underground and in doing so, they can disrupt and break pipes and damage underground cables, causing expensive repairs.
Loss of reputation or business
With rats being attracted to smells of cooking, cafés and restaurants have to deal with any rodent sightings, as their business could be affected by a negative reputation and once bad publicity is within the public domain, it is difficult to change, even after a problem has been rectified.
Nuisance
Rats and mice do tend to be nocturnal and if in your loft or cavity walls will be active during the hours of sleep, which will wake the occupants with their running around and gnawing.
It is a legal responsibility and in some cases a requirement to eradicate rodents before an explosion of population.
Signs of a rodent infestation
Sightings
Droppings
Dirty, greasy trails left by their body oils of where they run
A strong musty or ammonia smell
Fur
A trail of urine
Paw prints on dusty surfaces