Health experts have issued a warning as “ultra-rats” the size of rabbits could invade UK homes within weeks.
Rabbit sized rats could invade UK within weeks
As summer draws to an end, with the official autumn equinox occurring on September 23, diseased rodents will be seeking shelter from the cold as temperatures plummet.
The heatwaves have provided a perfect breeding environment for the rats who have multiplied in numbers with some growing in colossal size.
On average a rat can give birth to around 72 babies a year, which are ready to breed within a week.
Gardening experts have warned that during the cold winter months, food sources for rats become scarce which results in the pests seeking out shelter in people’s homes and gardens.
Hungry vermin will eat anything from rubbish to dog poo and have been named by AAA Wildlife Control as the “most destructive pests in the world”. Therefore, it is imperative to put measures in place to rat proof the homes.
Chris Bonnett, the founder of Gardening Express said: "It is time to protect your garden, and home, now. When rats get hungry, they will eat virtually anything – even dog poo, so you really don’t want these randy infested ultra-rats around.
"Some of the imperative measures to take to protect yourself and your home are laying preventive scents around your home and clearing any rubbish, debris and garden waste that’s accumulated during summer."