Why worry about these hairy intruders?

Living in South Africa comes with many highlights and advantages. But no matter where you live in our beautiful country, there's a rising problem of unwanted, hairy intruders that we all need to be aware of. These dirty creatures were the cause of the major plagues in history and some are reported to be as large as cats! Yes, I'm talking about rats. Read on to find out why these rodents are so dangerous, how to know if you have them sharing your property and how to get rid of them...

Just the other night I was on the brink of blissful slumber when I heard a scratching sound above my head. Needless to say I was wide awake. So the exterminators are coming to visit me and my hairy fiends this weekend.

Rats may look mighty cute in animated movies, yet the truth is they pose a real health risk to humans and other animals. Common diseases carried by rats include Salmonella, Weil's disease, E.coli and TB. They also carry fleas and ticks and could cause acute allergies. Even if they aren't entering a direct living area, but it's extremely serious if they are getting into your home. Any rat problem in the home needs to be treated urgently and immediately.

Signs of a rat problem

Rats are nocturnal and usually shy away from humans. Be sure to look out for these tell tale signs of these hairy intruders:

• scratching noises in the walls, ceilings or floor as they scurry around doing ratty things. Take it from me, these noises are loud and distinctive and, well spooky when you're trying to get some shut eye! 

• Droppings. Rats leave long dark droppings of approximately 10-14mm long.

• Distinctive smell. Rats leave an ammonia, "gym sock-like" smell that will be strong in enclosed areas.

• Damage. They have long, pointy, yellow teeth that continuously grow. Rats keep them trim by gnawing on wood or plastic and they've been known to cause fires by chewing through electric cables. They're also greedy buggers so look out for teeth marks on ripped food packaging. In my case I noticed that my herb garden had been nibbled to the stalks.

• Nests and burrows. Rats build nests in hidden, warm places with shredded material. In your garden, they'll dig burrows under sheds, decking, or in compost heaps.

Get out your detective gear and scour your home from top to bottom. If you think they're getting into your home, sprinkle flour along doorways and inspect in the morning for tell tail paw prints.

Keep rats away

Think prevention and rat-proof your home before you're faced with a full blown infestation. Younger rats can squeeze through holes smaller than 1cm so sealing holes and fitting bristle strip around doors is your first defence.

Rats are attracted by food so it's imperative that you store food in plastic or glass containers. Regularly clean under cupboards, fridges and stoves and ensure that your rubbish is sealed in a closed bin. This goes for your compost heap too.

Check that your drainage pipes are in order, keeping in mind that rats are adept at swimming and will gladly come up from the sewers.

When rats are there to stay – here's how to banish them

If not treated, a rat infestation will quickly take hold and you could find yourself knocking at the ceiling with a broom at 3am like a crazy person.

1. DIY: Poison. I wouldn't recommend this, as you could unintentionally poison birds or neighbourhood pets. Nevertheless, if you decide to try it out, be sure to follow the instructions carefully for safe, effective and humane control of rats. If you have pets or children, carefully choose a poison that is safe for the rest of your household, except the rats of course. Your local pet store should have recommendations.

2. Rat traps are also very powerful and should only be used in areas that children, pets and wildlife can't reach. The snap traps kill immediately and are therefore more humane. Set the trap fixed open so that your trespassing rodents will get used to eating from it. Peanut butter is a good lure.

3. While amateur DIY products are cost effective, professional pest control is required for high risk areas, established rat colonies or places of repeated infestation. Here are some professionals you could contact:

    * Rentokil. 0800 FAMILY or visit www.rentokil.co.za.
    * Exterminators Inc. Tel: (011) 473 1470
    * Pest me not. Tel: 082 543 8412 / 082 674 4083
    * FumiTech. Tel (021) 761 3584
    * Inspect-A-Pest. Tel (033) 345 5156