Rats & Mice Information Leaflet

WHAT DO THEY LOOK LIKE? In Britain, there are two species of rat, the brown rat (Norway Rat) and black rat (Ship Rat) The Brown rat is by far the most common type of rat seen in Britain today, the black rat is rare but is still found in some port areas. Adult body length of a rat is approx. 200mm – 270mm plus a tail length of 150mm – 200mm. The House mouse is a common pest in domestic properites; it has a brown / grey colour and can be between 100mm – 200mm in length including the tail. The house mouse has good hearing but poor eyesight. WHERE DO THEY LIVE? Rats will inhabit most areas which provide food, water and shelter. They are commonly found living in sewer systems and will burrow into compost heaps and grassy banks. Rats living and feeding outside will often enter buildings with the onset of winter months Mice live in houses, buildings and other structures such as garages, garden sheds, and outbuildings. Areas in domestic properties favoured by mice are food storage and preparation areas such as kitchens and pantries. Airing cupboards, enclosed pipes, baths and loft areas are also favoured locations. WHAT DO THEY EAT? Both rats and mice will eat almost anything humans eat and other things besides. DISEASE TRANSMISSION Rats pose a health threat as they can transmit many diseases to humans, including Salmonellosis and weils disease. They contaminate human food with urine and droppings and cause substantial damage by gnawing wires and food packets. Mice can also transmit diseases to humans these include; Worms (this leads to poor health) Cryptosporidia and Toxoplasma – which cause diarrhoea. CONTROL MEASURES If you have rats or mice good housekeeping is essential to deny any food source. Ensure bins and refuge areas are kept clean and any food spillages are cleaned as soon as possible. Clear any vegetation growth on or near to external walls as this provides cover for rats and mice. The control of rats and mice is most commonly achieved through the use of poison baits. These baits are approved for use, and have the appropriate Pesticide Safety Directorate or Health and Safety Executive registration for professional or amateur use. You can purchase treatments from hardware stores. Product label instructions and safety guidelines must be followed. The products must only be used in accordance with their approvals.

The baits should be laid in areas where there is evidence of activity (see “Safety” below). The rat or mouse needs to become accustomed to the new feeding site, and then needs to feed on the bait for several days to ensure a lethal dose is ingested. It may take between 5-10 days before some control is achieved.

SAFETY- IMPORTANT PLEASE READ

It should be remembered that rodenticides are pesticides that have been selected because of their high mammalian toxicity. They must all be considered as hazardous. Care must be used in ensuring that baits are laid in the correct manner and are not available to children, pets or other animals.

Alternatively pest control companies can be employed to treat for rats and mice and can be found on the internet or in the yellow pages. Baits laid by professional pest control companies should never be handled, removed or tampered with by householders. If in doubt, please contact the service provider. Please remember when using insecticides ALWAYS follow the instructions on

the label.

Fenland District Council does not offer treatment for Rats or Mice.

For further advice please contact Environmental Health on 01354 654321 or email envhealth@fenland.gov.uk