Of the two types of rat in Britain, the Black Rat has been almost eradicated, but the population of the Brown Rat continues to grow.

A rat is sexually mature by the age of 3 months and can give birth to anything up to 80 young in a 12 month period.

Brown rats can grow to over 25cm in length (not including the tail) and can weigh up to half a Kilogram. Despite their size, they can get into gaps as small as 15mm if they are determined enough.

Rats have highly developed senses; especially smell and taste.

Feeding largely at night, rats are omnivorous, so will eat largely anything. On average, they will consume 50g of food per day. They also need to consume water on a daily basis.

The basic needs which enable rats to thrive are food, water and shelter. Roof spaces, under floorboards and wall cavities are all places they will happily call home.

In gardens, they will burrow into earthy banks and mounds, find their way into or under sheds or search out other shelter which may be available.

As well as carrying a range of diseases which can be passed to humans (and pets), rats can cause damage to woodwork, bricks, plastic and pipes. They can chew through electrical cables, creating a fire hazard.

As such, the thought of having rats in or around your home is, understandably, distressing.

Knowing the above information can, however, help us to prevent an infestation. The next page discusses some of the steps we can take.

Sadly, there is no foolproof answer to preventing rats. They are very resourceful and will travel considerable distances to find food, water and shelter.

Once a rat problem exists, it can be difficult, time-consuming and expensive to get rid of them. As such it is better to do all we can to try to prevent them finding your home or garden a welcoming environment.

• Keep food waste in a bin with a lid, rather than an open bag, even indoors. At least every few days, tie the top, put it in your food waste bin outside and make sure the lid is closed.
• If food is dropped or spilt on the floor, do not leave it there. Remember, rats have a very strong sense of smell and can find small gaps to get in.
• Try to store foodstuffs (especially anything in boxes, cartons, bags or packets) in the wall cabinets, rather than in the cupboards at floor level.
• Do not leave any pet food (or water) outside overnight.
• If you feed garden birds, please use bird feeders or a bird table (rather than throwing food on the ground). Only put a small amount on bird tables at a time and clear old food off regularly.
• Do not leave bagged rubbish outside. Always tie bags closed, place them in the rubbish bin and ensure the lid is closed.
• Do not let clutter build-up in your garden and prevent it from getting overgrown.
• Report any refuse collection issues to your local council
• Report any potential access points such as damaged air vents, gaps under doors or broken pipes to your landlord (especially if you suspect a rat problem).

Of course, rats are not the only problem rodents, but these steps will help to prevent other unwanted visitors as well!

Ultimately, remember the three things rats need to thrive:

• Food
• Water
• Shelter

By doing what we can to deny them easy access to these things it is more likely that they will not be attracted to your home or garden and will look elsewhere.