Brown Rat
The Brown Rat is an incredibly adaptable mammal and can be found almost everywhere in the UK, in any habitat: all it needs is shelter and food. Brown Rats are omnivorous, eating pretty much anything, from fruit and seeds to human food waste, insects, birds eggs or even small mammals. They are particularly common around towns and cities.
Size: body up to 25 cm (10 in) long, and a similar tail length
Areas found: Houses, shops, pubs, restaurants, industrial units, gardens
Signs of infestations:
- Droppings (sausage shaped approx. 1 -2 cm long).
- Rat smears – grease marks or smudges from the body of a rat as it repeatedly brushes up against solid objects.
- Damaged merchandise and damage to the fabric of premises.
- Rat nesting materials
- Characteristic smell – rats will leave behind an ammonia-like smell, that is particularly strong in enclosed areas.
- Sighting of live rats
- Dead rats
- Runs and borrows
Black Rat
Despite its name, the black rat exhibits several colour forms. It is usually black to light brown in colour with a lighter underside. Black rats are considered omnivores and eat a wide range of foods, including seeds, fruit, stems, leaves, fungi, and a variety of invertebrates and vertebrates.
Size: 17–25 cm long, and a similar tail length.
Areas found: Not common in Britain, Found in ships and high levels in buildings
Signs of infestations:
- Droppings (sausage shaped approx. 1 -2 cm long).
- Rat smears – grease marks or smudges from the body of a rat as it repeatedly brushes up against solid objects.
- Damaged merchandise and damage to the fabric of premises.
- Rat nesting materials
- Characteristic smell – rats will leave behind an ammonia-like smell, that is particularly strong in enclosed areas.
- Sighting of live rats
- Dead rats
- Runs and borrows