The brown rat is a common fixture in many indoor as well as outdoor spaces. Rats love a warm and dry home, with a nearby source of food and water, which makes them a persistent problem. They are a threat to hygiene and health, think plague, and The Black Death, and so every effort should be taken to keep them out of our homes.

No one packs rats in bubble wrap and posts them to you; so where do they come from? There are innumerable rats living and breeding in sewers. Rat populations are also found in open rubbish bins, left ignored for a long time.

The best way to control rats is to prevent them in the first place. Open and loose rubbish left outside the house can attract rats. Always keep rubbish covered tightly so that there is no room for rats to enter. Also, since drains are the official rat conduit, it is vital that you keep all drains covered at all times.

Rats are big foodies and love to eat. They are omnivores and will eat just about everything, including meat, vegetables, bread, milk and dairy products and even sweets! It is therefore important not to keep any food accessible to rats outside the house, especially at night. This includes pet food as well.

If you do get rats at home and the problem grows to the extent where you cannot deal with them wit rat traps or rat poison, there are professional rodent control solutions available.