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Rodents

There are many wildlife such as squirrels, bats and monkeys living among us in Brunei. The development of people and property can come into conflict with elements of our wildlife.

When this occurs, these wildlife can enter building compound and pose potential damage from the fabric or structure of buildings to harming human safety. It is highly recommended to contact the Fire or Wildlife Department for assistance when come across with wildlife.

Types of Rodents

Rodents are found on every continent except Antarctica. They live in a wide range of different habitats from snow-covered tundra to hot deserts. Some species of rodent are also the common invaders of the human environment:

• Rats
• Mice
• Voles
• Squirrels
• Marmots
• Hamsters
• Guinea pigs
• Gophers
• Prairie dogs
• Porcupines
• Beavers
• Capybaras (but not rabbits, hares and shrews).

There are over 200 species of rodent in North America, over 70 species in Brunei and India, but just 10 native species in the British Isles.

Rats

Rat control is important to avoid a number of serious diseases, which rats are known to transmit. There are nearly a dozen diseases directly linked to rats and the ever prevalent disease spread by rats in Brunei is Leptospirosis. Besides that, rats also carry secondary pest in their fur such as fleas, mites and ticks.

Rats can be very persistent and if they manage to gain access into your home or business premises they can spread these diseases, cause considerable damage and contaminate food.

Rats in the Home or Garden

It is extremely serious if rats are getting into your home even if they are not entering a direct living area. Any rat problem inside the home must be treated urgently.

Rats in the garden and other external areas can also be high risk, particularly in areas used by children or pets. It is important to get rid of rats in the garden to reduce the risk of them trying to enter the home.

Special care is needed for properties with integral garages or with dog or cat flaps as rats can use these to get into the home.

Business Consequences

• Alarm — immediate loss of trust from customers and employees especially in food processing, industrial & manufacturing and food & beverage sectors.
• Damage — of goods and equipment such as computers, electrical appliances, wires and pipes in offices and business premises.
• Losses — infestations may cause product recalls and loss of contracts which can lead to financial loss and bad company reputation.
• Legal — failure to comply with legislation could lead to business closure or fines.

Even rats in the garden and outside can also present tremendous risk, particularly since those areas are visited by children and pets.

How To Identify Signs of Rats

As nocturnal creatures, rats are most active between dusk and dawn and usually hide from humans during the day. It is often easier to spot signs of a problem, rather than the actual pest.

• Rat Droppings - usually found in concentrated areas as rats produce up to 40 droppings per night. Brown rat droppings are dark brown in a tapered, spindle shape about 9–14mm long. They can resemble a large grain of rice.

• Scratching Noises - Think you might have rats in your roof? Black rats (also known as the roof rat) are agile climbers and can easily gain access into loft spaces and upper floors of buildings. Hearing scratching noises at night from above may suggest their presence. Brown rats on the other hand, are less adept climbers. You may hear them scurrying under decking, sheds and floorboards. They are more likely to be identified by a grinding noise they make with their teeth known as bruxing.

• Footprints (running tracks) - Rats leave foot and tail marks in dusty, less-used areas of buildings. Shining a strong flashlight at a low angle should reveal tracks clearly. To establish if an infestation is active, sprinkle fine flour or talc along a small stretch of floor near the footprints and check for fresh tracks the next day.

• Rub Marks - Rats use established routes along skirting boards and walls due to their poor eyesight. Grease and dirt on their bodies leave smudges and dark marks on both objects and surfaces they repeatedly brush against. These marks may indicate rodent activity, but as smears may remain for a long period of time, they are not a good gauge of an active infestation.

• Damage - Rats have teeth that grow continuously. They need to gnaw on wood and plastic to keep them trim. They have the potential to cause fires by chewing through electrical cables. You may also notice ripped food packaging, as rats tear open food, leaving visible teeth marks.

• Nests - Rats build nests in warm, hidden places using shredded material such as newspaper and fabrics. Nests will often contain young rats and are usually located close to a food source. Check behind and under appliances, such as fridges and freezers in or near your kitchen.

• Burrows - Brown rats are well known for digging and excavating extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage and nesting. Look for burrows in compost heaps, under decking or garden sheds, or in garages.

SPIDER’s Rodent Control Program

• While amateur Do-It-Yourself (DIY) products are a cost effective way to control rat problems in low risk areas, professional pest control is required for high risk areas, more established rat colonies or where there is a repeated infestation.
• We offer a Free Site Inspection to assess the source of attraction, breeding site, level of infestation, and to identify the rat species.
• Treatments will include the control of any potential breeding sites and will advise on actions to take according to the PEST approach.