Warning 2ft ‘genetically modified’ rats are streaming into British homes like never before – and they’re tough to kill
‘GENETICALLY-MODIFIED’ super rats that are growing up to 2ft tall are being found in Brits homes.
Flooding and delayed bin collections are some of the reasons why Brits have been urged to be on the lookout for rats in their home.
Some pest controllers have claimed to catch rats that are freakishly big with some rodents as large as 2-foot long.
Another worry amongst Brits is the rats which are resistant to poison also known as super rats, according to pest controllers.
They pass this resistance on to their young.
Rats breed extremely quickly as females can litter around six pups and can become pregnant again just 48hours after giving birth.
There’s been an increase of 155 per cent increase in people looking for advice on dealing with rats in the last 90 days, says The British Pest Control Association.
They estimate that there could be as many as 250million rats in the UK with many looking to seek shelter in houses this winter.
“It’s common to see an increase in rat infestations during the winter period,” said Natalie Bungay, BPAC technical manager.
She added: “As rats and mice are on the hunt for warm, dry shelter with access to a food source.
“Disruption to bin collections over the festive period can also be a factor, as overflowing wheelie bins and black bags full of rubbish are basically a buffet for pests.”
When bin bags aren’t collected it can lead to foxes ripping bins apart with the contents released all over the floor.
This encourages the rats out of the sewers to eat.
Additionally, floods such as the one recently caused by Storm Henk destroy the pests’ underground nests and force them into buildings as they look for a dry place to live.
Paul Bates is a London-based pest controller – he claims that since the COVID pandemic, he’s been getting more calls about rat infestations.
He told The Mirror: “2022 was 6% up on 2021 and last year was 3% up on that. Since December I have 235 calls for rats, which is a lot compared to normal.
“Since the coronavirus pandemic, the problem has been getting worse.”
Paul blames the “reduction waste collection and poor drainage and sewer maintenance,” for the increased rat presence.
However, he also attributes the increase in rats to local councils “re-wilding grass verges,” which has created a habitat for them.
He said: “Recently I was driving round a roundabout and saw several rats running through the grass.
“Rats are a major problem as they pose a big health hazard and they breed rapidly, so they need to be dealt with by a professional as soon as they are suspected.”
Pest controllers like Paul Bates say they are reverting to old-school methods such as making traps rather than poison.
It comes after a clip went viral showing over 20 rodents scampering from under a homeless man’s blanket.
This giant rat was unlucky after it was shot in the head with an air pistol only after it chewed a massive hole through a door.