When people think of rats in Edinburgh, they often think back to hundreds of years ago when it was believed they helped spread the bubonic plague from 1644 to 1649. Edinburgh was plagued by rats at that time due to the crowded old town with poor sanitation. It was believed that the rats didn’t cause or spread the plague but carried the infected fleas that then spread the disease by biting humans. There may be fewer rats now in Edinburgh due to a cleaner city but they do still live among us.
Only a few years ago when there was a bin strike, we saw an increase in rats as the bins filled up and overflowed onto the pavements and streets. Birmingham is currently suffering in the same way.
The Main Reasons You Don’t Want Rats in Your Home
Rats can and do cause a lot of damage.
Gnawing
A rat’s teeth grow continuously so they gnaw on wood and other solid objects to keep them short and sharp. This means they can damage your furniture, flooring, rafters and anything else they take a fancy to.
Electrical Wire Damage
They are just as happy to gnaw on wires and cables as they are wood and chipboard. However, this can result in appliances not working and even house fires.
Water & Food Contamination
Dealing with rat droppings and urine is bad enough when it is on your floor, but you don’t want them near any food or water!
Rat Problems in Edinburgh
In recent months, rat control has been one of our most frequently requested services for homes and businesses.
Rats in an Edinburgh Home
Rats chewed this wooden slat in an Edinburgh home until it was big enough to give them access to the kitchen. As you can imagine, this was quite distressing for the homeowner.
Rats in an Edinburgh Factory
We were called out to a factory that had seen rat droppings so called us immediately before they could become an infestation or affect their products. We were able to trace a rat behind a cavity wall and deal with it.
Rats at Edinburgh Bins
We were called out to an infestation of rats by some communal bins in Gorgie that hadn’t been kept clean and tidy. It doesn’t take long for rats to find a free feeding area so it is imperative that bins are kept closed with no litter on the ground. This image shows us power washing the bin area after the rubbish had been cleared and the rats removed.
In all these cases, our pest control Edinburgh technicians resolved the problem professionally and efficiently.
How To Stop a Rat Problem
If you see any rats or signs of rats in your garden, home or business premises, please get in touch so that we can stop the problem quickly and efficiently with our rat control services before they cause any expensive damage.
This video shows some rats near a well-known Edinburgh supermarket. We didn’t see any sign of them going to the building but it shows that they are everywhere.
Author - Gavin Lindsay
Gavin is the owner and founder of Anglo Scottish Pest Control. He has been a professional pest controller since 1989.
