What types of rats are there in the UK?

There are two species of rat in Britain, the most common of which is Rattus Norvegicus, otherwise known as the Brown Rat or Common Rat. The other is Rattus Rattus, commonly referred to as the Black Rat or Ship Rat, which is now rarely found in the UK.

What season do rats come out UK?

A rat’s typical seasonal calendar sees them seeking shelter indoors in autumn and winter – but in the spring and summer months, when the weather warms up and food is plentiful, they tend to gravitate outdoors.

Are rats more active in summer or winter?

Winter Food Reserves In autumn and sometimes even late summer, rats become more active. In this time of high activity, they gather and store as much food as they can in their burrows for the upcoming winter. Though they do not hibernate, they stockpile on food to reduce the need to leave the warmth of their burrows.

What do rats do in cold weather?

Rats living outside of human-occupied areas use caves and natural shelters during the winter months. The rats collect food throughout the warm months and cache it in caves. Most rats are social, and groups will occupy a single dwelling. They urinate on food caches to mark territory.

Are black rats worse than brown rats?

Unless you’re some kind of rat racist, you won’t really find one of the species to be worse than the other. Both brown rats and black rats have been known to carry potentially deadly diseases. Rat-bite fever is, unsurprisingly, transmitted by rats.

What colour are wild rats in UK?

There are two main types of rats that cause concern in the UK. The Brown Rat (or common rat) and the Black Rat.

What attracts rats to your house?

There are two main things that can attract mice and rats to your house – food and shelter. If you don’t tidy up properly and there’s food waste on the floor or surfaces, rodents are going to love it! Rats and mice also need shelter, particularly during winter to avoid the worst of the cold.

What are rats scared of?

Rats are afraid of human activity, mostly because humans are so much larger than they are. Rats also fear predators such as hawks, eagles, and other birds of prey. Other animals that rats are afraid of include your cat as well as rat terriers and other dogs that hunt rodents.

Can rats climb walls?

Both rats and mice are good climbers and can climb vertical walls and “shimmy” up between walls and drain pipes. Rats are also excellent swimmers and have been known to enter premises through the water traps of the toilet bowl when infestations occur in the main sewerage system.

Can black rats climb?

In urban areas, they prefer to live in dry upper levels of buildings, so they are commonly found in wall cavities and false ceilings. In the wild, black rats live in cliffs, rocks, the ground, and trees. They are great climbers and prefer to live in palms and trees, such as pine trees.