Watching wildlife in your garden is such a treat, but not all wildlife is welcome warns Stratford-on-Avon District Council.
We all enjoy seeing a variety of different birds in our gardens and many of us will be encouraging them by putting food out for them. But Stratford District Council is warning that some residents are taking it too far and serving up a banquet which is also attracting less welcomed diners such as rats.
Jon Field, Senior Pest Control Operative at Stratford District Council says: "Rats are active all year round. However they look for warmer environments with an easy food source when the temperature drops. At this time of year we are receiving dozens of calls every day from residents who have had rats in their homes or outbuildings and when we arrive most of these homes have a rodent buffet on offer in the garden. Residents are keen to help the bird population by leaving food out and this is to be encouraged but it must be done responsibly otherwise there is every chance that unwelcome guests will arrive as well.
"You can help yourself by ensuring that your doors and windows are in good repair, making it difficult for rats to gain access and making sure air bricks are intact. Remove any sources of material which will provide a shelter for rats such as piles of timber or garden debris. If you do feed the birds please do not overfeed and clear up uneaten food each night.
"Ideally when feeding birds use a bird table or a hanging net, and ensure that any food that falls to the ground is cleared away daily. You may even choose to stop feeding the birds in your garden for a temporary period of time if you are experiencing problems; the food that you leave amounts to only a small percentage of their total intake and they are unlikely to starve if you dont feed them for a while."
For further information or advice on Stratford District Councils Pest Control services please call 01789 260814.
Rodents are a common pest. It is well known that rodents can carry diseases such as Salmonella, Weil's Disease, Trichinosis, Rat Bite Fever and Hantavarus.
