Vermatech Pest Control
Keeper's Corner
Kennylands Road
Sonning Common
Reading
Berks RG4 9JP
Tel 0118 972 4895
Fax 0118 972 4518
Rats
Rats and mice can
be described as "commensal" rodents (commensal
literally means "sharing one's table"). This is a very
apt description because wherever man has buildings and food there
is potential for infestation by these animals.
Norway
or Brown Rat (Rattus Norvegicus) and Ship or Black Rat
(Rattus Rattus)
In Britain there are two species of rat. The most widespread and
abundant of these is the Common Rat (also known as
the Norway rat or sewer rat). It originated from China and was
first recorded in Europe at the beginning of the 18th Century.
It lives anywhere offering food and shelter including sewers.
The Ship Rat (or black or roof rat) lives largely
indoors in Britain mainly in the port areas.
Rats are excellent
climbers, jumpers, swimmers and can easily squeeze through very
small openings. The three most important things for a rat are:
water for drinking (they can only live a few days without it!),
a food source and harbourage. A common rat is usually suspicious
of and tends to avoid any new object that it comes across such
as a bait station, this is called Neophobia or New Object Reaction.
In time the neophobia wears off but it may take 3-5 days or as
long as 10 days to enter a bait container. In contrast mice tend
to explore rather than avoid new objects. They will therefore
feed more freely on baits from the start.
Most people detest
rats mostly because it is known they spread disease, contaminate
foodstuff and cause serious damage to buildings and materials.
The word rodent
comes from a Latin word that means to gnaw. Rodents gnaw with
their paired incisor teeth. Rodents need to continually gnaw on
solid objects. Rodent damage to buildings can prove extremely
costly. Rodents gnawing on cables or wires could start a fire.
Common rat colonies
typically develop from a pair or single pregnant female. Infestations
can develop very quickly from a single pair. Optimum conditions
are equable temperature, surplus food with adequate water and
undisturbed cover for rearing young.
Rats are sexually
mature at 3-4 months old, they give birth every 24-28 days with
an average litter size of 6-11 young and can produce 4-6 litters
a year.
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on this site is copyright 1999-2008 to Andrew Green Pest Control Ltd
(t/as Vermatech Pest Control) - All Rights Reserved.
Under
the Trade Marks Act 1994 of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the
logo and marks Vermatech
have been registered under Nos. 2431304 and 2431398 as of the date 31
October 2006 in the name of Andrew Green Pest Control Ltd.