COVID-19 And Rodent Problems In Kent

Are rodent problems becoming worse during COVID-19? The unfortunate answer is yes. Anyone who is paying attention will have noticed that rodent problems are becoming dramatically worse. But why is this happening and what do you need to know about this situation?

What you need to know about rodent problems during lockdowns  

We have seen dozens of new rat and mouse control problems since the advent of COVID-19. These include many issues such as rodent sightings increasing and rodents entering more frequently into homes and businesses. But by far the biggest issue is rodents getting bolder and more desperate for food. There are several reasons why this has happened.

You see, rodents basically live on the food waste generated by humans. This food waste most often comes from places like pubs, restaurants, takeaways and cafes. Rodents scavenge from the dustbins behind these businesses, and this is how they survive. The issue is essentially that lockdown has forced these businesses to close for long periods of time. In many cases this closure has persisted for months. What this means is that the rodents are completely deprived of their usual food sources.  

Another issue is that rodents also scavenge  

This includes dustbins in public spaces such as parks, or outside eating areas. Because of lockdown, people are staying indoors and are no longer congregating in these places. People have not been hanging out there with picnics and so on. What this means is that these dustbins are often empty, and rodents can no longer feed from them.

As a consequence, they are absolutely desperate. Now that their usual source of food has dried up, these rodents are forced to look elsewhere. They are spilling out onto the streets and trying to find food wherever they can. Quite often this means ranging far and wide, and also creating a pest control emergency by invading people’s homes. 

How have rats responded to lockdowns?

A huge problem is also that these rodents are becoming increasing bold due to their desperation, meaning that rat control in Kent is more difficult. Instead of hiding away and avoiding humans they are coming out more often. This includes during the day when rodents usually sleep. This is why rodent problems have increased during this time. It’s also why sightings of rodents are increasing.

These hungry pests are also losing their fear of humans. If at all possible for them to do so safely, they could try and steal anything edible that you have. This means you need to be careful if you’re eating in a public space. It’s quite possible that hungry rodents will come out of nowhere and approach you in the hope of getting something to eat.

All in all, this is a serious problem that very few people are aware of. That being said, things seem to be getting better. With lockdowns easing, food sources are replenishing, and the rodents are going back to their hiding places. This means that the current rodent problems should soon be a thing of the past.