Help- i think we have a rat getting into our kitchen!

[Blueskies80]

Morning all,

Have just found in our veg drawer that our sweet potato has been nawed v badly and a bit of a carrot too.
Can see two droppings which are around 5p size right next to underneath of the fridge. From what I can see on line this must be a rat??

We had an old boiler taken out two years ago and that space is in the corner of kitchen against an outside wall. It is possible that little gaps into the floor boards is where the rodent has come up.

Feel so sick thinking about it. Have young children and a crawler so very worried what might have happened if he came into contact with rat wee on floor.

Please help! Any advice? Thanks so much.

kids are tougher than you think.

block up the hole and find a way to put down poison so that the kids can't get to it. Also keep all your food in sealed containers until the job is done.

Really, rats are everywhere s don't feel bad! Just put some poison down inside the hole (and well away from children!) and then block up. If you have any lore trouble call pest company.

Dont block the holes up with anything they can eat or make nesting with. wire wool is meant to be good

And rats smell awful when they die under your floorboards - voice of experience here!

Don't block the hole up until after you have put the poison down otherwise they will die inside your house and stink to high heaven

The council came to me for free. We're rural & often have rats in the garden (opposite a farm) but because I'd found one in the kitchen they felt it was a health hazard & put poison down.
The chap said it might've come up the downstairs loo couldn't use it for weeks due to fear