Got Rats on your Allotment? We’ve got it covered!

IF YOU’VE GOT A PROBLEM WITH RODENTS CALL PGM & SON RODENT CONTROL HEREFORD FOR ADVICE AND SOLUTIONS

Have you got unwanted visitors on your allotment?

Are rodents ruining your fruit and vegetable plot?

Have recent floods flushed out a vermin problem?

Don’t despair, if you’ve a rat problem we can help!

Rats are a particular problem on allotments due to the damage they can cause to fruits and vegetables and more importantly the potentially serious diseases they can spread.

Unlike may other pests, rodent problems are not cyclical. We see rodent problems all year round and infestations are on the rise.

Allotments can offer a fantastic environment for the rodent for many reasons, typically there are lots of harbourage for rodents on an allotment, for example, in compost heaps; in wood piles, under and inside buildings such as sheds and greenhouses and drains and pipes.

As rodents feed on a variety of foods, allotments provide a great source of nourishment such as fruit and vegetables growing and stored and typically allotments house poultry which provides a food source through uneaten poultry feed.

Signs you have a rat problem

Droppings – watch out for spindle shaped, blunt droppings around 1½-2cm long for the brown rat and pointed and around 1½ cm long for the black rat
Urine in sheds and greenhouses - rat urine carries a very strong, distinctive smell
Burrows and tunnels in your allotment or underneath structures
Nests
Footprints / tracks

Rodent Health Risks

Rodents can pose a serious health risk to humans.
Rats carry diseases such as Leptospirosis or Weil's disease, Salmonella, Listeria, toxoplasma gondii and Hantavirus which can be passed onto humans.
The HSS report around 40 cases of Weil’s disease every year.
Two types of rat tapeworm spread to humans though eggs found in rat faeces.

On allotments this is a particular concern as rodents urinate on or chew growing and stored fruits and vegetables. Also, compost used from a rat-infested bin can transfer disease to fruits and vegetables which is a particular risk for those who eat raw vegetables, for example, Vegans.

5 Tips to reducing your Rodent Risk

There are some steps you can take to reduce the risks of inviting rodents onto your allotment, such as:-

Removing accessible food sources: keep feed such as poultry feed in sealed containers; do not let excess food build up; keep wildlife feeding to a minimum.
Remove harbourage: make sure you clear rubbish and clutter; use rodent proof containers for composting and general waste.
Secure and proof structures: build structure such as sheds on concrete bases, maintain structures and seal holes and repair broken access points.
Check your agreement to make sure you know who is responsible for rodent control on your allotment.
IF you are responsible, make sure you take this responsibility seriously and that you do not cause a problem for neighbouring allotment holders.

Don’t let a rodent problem get worse – rats breed rapidly, becoming sexually mature in around 3 months. Females may produce 3 to 12 litters of between 6 and 8 young in a year so what may start as a small problem can quickly escalate – call in the professionals today to sort out a rodent infestation.

Rodents breed rapidly, if you have an infestation it’s best to call in a professional pest controller who will have access to the knowledge, training and solutions to deal with the problem quickly and with consideration to non-target species.

If you suspect you have a problem with rats, don’t panic.