BPCA has a strong warning to anyone using rodenticides – always follow the instructions on the label, and importantly search for and dispose of any dead rodents in a safe manner.

It's difficult to know how many rats there are in the UK, with estimates putting the numberanywhere between 10.5 million and 120 million.

Although they are all designed to kill or capture pests, they can be tested for dead or dying rats, and food baits can attract secondary insects that can cause infestation. Rats may not have the best eyesight, but they have a well-developed sense of smell, taste and touch. This means that a pair of brown rats could potentially produce as many as 200 babies and 2,000 descendants in just one year, maybe more.

Baits come in many different forms. These include: Pellets, blox, cake, and liquid. Bait should be placed in tamper resistant bait stations away from areas where children and pets may go. Although baits can be placed inside, we don't recommend it. Rats can crawl into the walls or other hard to reach locations after taking the bait before finally dying. with a semi or fully-automatic one! paul - p.s. what about carbon monoxide from a car exhaust. once they were killed and the attic was ventilated my dogs would sniff out the When scanning for signs of life, John recommends to look for 'rodent activity such as droppings and nesting materials around your home.'

And if a company or organisation has a highly publicised rat problem, then it will heavily impact its reputation. Another effective material to use when filling in small gaps or holes is steel wool. If you’ve spotted an entry point in your wall, create a barrier with steel wool, as it is more challenging for rats to nibble through compared to other materials. Sanitation is the single most important measure of control in getting rid of a rat problem. Rats must have access to a ready supply of food and water to thrive and harborage to nest. To reduce rat populations, try the following sanitation measures: