Contact DetailsSt George's Pest Control Ltd 6 Bardwells Yard Latchingdon Road Cold Norton, Chelmsford Essex CM3 6JG Phone: e-mail us | | Rodents - Mice | Mice - A mouse can range from 13 to 18cms in length including the tail and weigh between 7 and 50 grams.
- Greyish brown in colour with large ears and small eyes, they have upper and lower incisor teeth that continue to grow throughout their life.
- Breeding all year round, a female mouse can have 5 to 10 litters a year producing between 4 and 10 young in each litter.
- Mice can pass up to 80 droppings a day which are random in distribution and look similar to an apple pip; small and black.
- Mostly active at night, they climb very well and can squeeze through gaps as small as a biro pen (8mm).
- The life span of a mouse is between 9 and 12 months.
- Mice are capable of carrying diseases, particularly food poisoning (Salmonella).
 |  |  | | Mice Contaminate Food | Damage to Buildings is Common | Baby Mouse a Few Days Old |
Evidence- Droppings, smell, smear marks, urine pillars, foot prints, live mice, gnawing and noises in lofts and wall cavities.
- Damage and contamination to stored foods and stock, chewing of packaging, electric cables, plastic pipes and woodwork.
Treatment- For internal control, spill-proof rodenticidal baits contained in plastic bait boxes are placed in areas such as basements, lofts, store rooms, garages and any other areas which are safe to do so.
- For external areas lockable bait boxes are strategically placed around the buildings and surrounding areas.
- Weekly follow-up visits until mouse infestation has been cleared.
- Recommendations to improve housekeeping and stacking to aid effective pest control measures.
- Recommendations for proofing to reduce the risk of rodent entry.
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Rodents - Rats | Rats - The common brown rat can range from 20 to 26cms in length excluding the tail which is thick and scaly and similar in length to its body.
- Reddish brown or dark grey in colour with small ears and a blunt nose, their weight varies between 150 and 300grams but can be up to 500grams.
- Rats have upper and lower incisor teeth that continue to grow throughout their life.
- Females breed throughout the year and can have up to 5 litters producing on average 5 to 8 young, although up to 14 is not uncommon.
- A rat can pass up to 40 droppings a day which are concentrated in one area (12mm in size and tapered at both ends).
- Mainly active at night, rats live where they can find food, water and shelter.
- A healthy rat can live up to 2 years - the average life span is 1 year.
- The rat is a carrier of many serious diseases.
 |  |  | | An Adult Rat Can Live up to 2 Years | Damage Caused by Gnawing | Rats Scavenging Around Bin Areas |
Evidence- Droppings, smell, hairs, smear marks, swing marks, tail marks, footprints, rat runs, noises in the roof space and wall cavities at night time.
- Chewed and damaged food and stored stock. Gnawing damage to electric cables, plastic pipes, roof timbers and to door bases (to wear down their front teeth).
- Burrows - entrance holes 7-10cm in diameter evident at the side of sheds, log piles and the edges of paving stones.
Treatment
Internal- Rodenticide baits would be installed into lofts, basements, riser cupboards, plant rooms, under-stair cupboards, sheds and any other areas that are necessary or safe to do so.
- Weekly follow up visits are included until the rat infestation has been cleared.
- Any dead bodies found will be removed and disposed of through our controlled waste management system.
External- We use heavy duty metal locked bait boxes. These are installed into rat runs and areas where rats are foraging for food.
- Rats are very cautious of new objects and it can take several days for the rats to become used to the bait boxes and to start feeding inside the boxes.
- If rat burrows are found, bait would be applied directly into the burrows and we would ensure the burrows are covered. Our risk assessment will always choose the safest method of control, even if it is not the quickest.
- Weekly follow-up visits are included until the infestation has been cleared.
- We recommend good management of waste food and rubbish in bin areas as rats seen by the public will cause an instant bad reputation due to humans having a general fear because of their size, speed of movement and the diseases they spread. Heavy duty bait boxes will prevent rats becoming established in these areas.
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Rodents - Squirrels | - The grey squirrel is approx 40cms in length including its bushy tail and weighs around 500grams.
- A female can produce 2 litters each year in March and July, each litter has 3 to 4 young.
- Commonly seen in urban parks and gardens, the squirrel is active during the day, mainly at dawn and dusk.
- A squirrels nest (Drey) is made of twigs, dry leaves and lined with grass and is approx 60cm in diameter.
- Feeding on acorns, tree shoots, fruit and nuts, the squirrel will dig up plants and bulbs causing destruction in the garden.
- The average life span of a squirrel is 4 to 5 years.
| | Evidence and Damage- Squirrels frequent domestic lofts and cause extensive damage.
- They chew through timbers, strip insulation from electrical wiring and water pipes,damage stored possessions and occasionally drown in water tanks.
- They are destructive in the garden, often burying food in the lawn, and digging up plants and bulbs.
|  |  |  | | Frequenting loft areas where possible | Typical Grey Squirrel | Wire damage caused by chewing |
| Treatment- We do not recommend treatment in external areas; the reason is because like most animals, squirrels are territorial. If squirrels are removed then others will only fill the vacuum.
- In lofts and ceiling voids we would remove the squirrels by using humane traps, which kill the squirrel instantly. It is illegal to catch squirrels in live traps and then release them back into the countryside.
- Once the problem squirrels have been removed, details and quotations can be provided for proofing to reduce the risk of re-infestation.
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