Rats pose numerous issues, ranging from health hazards to humans to structural damage on properties due to their gnawing habits. Effectively eliminating them is crucial for maintaining your home and garden, but it’s equally important to understand the factors that can increase the likelihood of an infestation. By addressing these factors, you can take preventive measures to keep them from entering your home or returning once they’ve been removed.
In this article, we will explore some of the primary reasons rats may invade your property, as well as simple strategies to minimize this risk. If you do discover a rat infestation, there are a range of DIY pest control solutions, including rat poisons, traps, and bait stations, to help you tackle the problem quickly.
Why Rats Will Invade Your Home
Shelter
Rodents require shelter to build nests, so if they are present on your property, this could be what they are looking for. In warmer months, they will make nests outside, such as under sheds, decking or compost bins whereas in colder months they will be more tempted to seek out warmer areas nearer a building that’s occupied by humans or animals.
Areas they will target to build nests will provide as much warmth as possible, as well as access to food or water. They will also be as secluded as possible (so are unlikely to be in areas that are frequented by humans) where they will feel comfortable enough to reproduce (which they can do so at an alarming rate).
The Weather
If you thought the only problem with British weather is whether you should take an umbrella on your commute to work… think again. Warmer, brighter months in the summer bring more grains, fruits and bugs into gardens for rats to feast on. Vegetation also increases which provides shelter for them to nest and travel around in.
Conversely, as winter approaches and plants die off, there will be less fruit, insects and grains for rats to feed on which will force them to seek out alternate food sources, such as waste food in bins. In addition, as plants shed their leaves, there will be less coverage for them to move around in which will force them into other sheltered areas, often human-made infrastructure such as pipes. As they prefer warmer conditions, they may also be tempted into areas which produce more heat, such as barns, rooms with electrical appliances or lofts.
Flooding is also a factor and given the increasing amount of flooding each year, is becoming more and more relevant. Rats can often look to create their nests underground. When an area containing a nest floods, it can push them out and in search of shelter nearer buildings. The flooding can also cause drains to overflow which can flush them out from one of their favourite nesting sites, sewers.
Strong winds and flooding can also cause rubbish and debris to scatter into unintended areas, creating perfect sheltered conditions for rats to build nests and access waste food. It is important to clean up after adverse weather to avoid attracting rats.
Poor Sanitation
Rats don’t like being out in the open, therefore, the more debris and clutter there is in your home or garden, the more places there will be for them to hide and the more attractive it will be for a family of rats.
Overgrown vegetation and waste materials in gardens can provide sheltered travel routes for them to move around in relatively safety and waste materials such as fabrics, cardboard and old leaves provide them with the tools they need to build nests.
In addition, if waste food is not disposed of correctly and securely, rats will have access to an easy food source.
Food Sources
Rats will also invade properties in search of food. As noted above, during warmer months they will be attracted to fruit and insects in gardens and, as the weather starts to drop, they will seek alternative food sources such as grains or pet food in out buildings or waste food in bins.
They’re not very picky about what they eat so anything that’s edible is fair game for them, although if they have access to multiple food sources, such as in cities, they will often pick the most calorific option.
Water
As with most animals, rats need a stable supply of water in order to survive. Therefore, anywhere that can give them access to this might attract them.
The water source may not be particularly obvious (such as a pond or lake). Broken drains, bird feeders, pet bowls and broken, leaking pipes can all suffice in providing a family of rats with all their aquatic needs.
Property Structural Damage
Rats use structural damage in properties to gain access and move around. Cracks & crevices and holes in walls can allow them to enter areas of buildings relatively undetected to either nest or feed. They can squeeze through tiny holes so it can be difficult to spot all the possible entry points available to them.
Rats will also exploit damage to plumbing in a building, such as pipes, and use them to travel in relative safety between nests and food sources. Damage to drains on a property can also give them travel routes between sewers and gardens.
Signs of an Infestation
There are a whole host of signs rats can leave if they are present and we’ve listed some of the most prevalent below:
Strange Sounds
⦁ Including the scurrying of feet or gnawing sounds.
Unusual pet behaviour
⦁ Including restlessness and hyper-activity.
Tracks
⦁ They can leave greasy marks where their fur has rubbed over an area multiple times. They may also leave hairs and paw prints.
Stale Smells
⦁ Odorous, foul smells from their excrement or rotting, dead rats.
Gnawing marks
⦁ These can be found on a whole host of items such as wires, pipes, food packaging and property structures.
Nesting materials
⦁ This can include fabrics such as shredded cardboard, fabrics and leaves that rats can leave scattered around.
Droppings and urine stains
⦁ Rat droppings are pellet shaped which they will leave in areas such as by nests, near food sources or on travel routes between the two sites. Urine stains can also be found in these locations.
Physically seeing them
⦁ Although they will try and avoid humans, you may see them scurrying about, or dead on the floor.
How to Prevent A Rat Infestation
Now we have explored some of the reasons why rats may infest a property, we can deduce ways in which to deter them. Most of these actions are pretty standard practices anyway so shouldn’t require anything out of the ordinary:
⦁Make your property clutter-free and tidy to reduce the availability of nesting sites and materials;
⦁All food waste is stored in secure bins;
⦁If there are natural food sources in your garden, such as fallen fruit or bird feed, ensure these are removed regularly or hung in areas inaccessible to rats;
⦁Ensure any maintenance issues on your property are fixed as and when they appear, including fixing any plumbing issues and cracks and crevices in buildings;
⦁Make sure any human or pet food is stored in secure containers that are inaccessible to rats.
Although the above steps can help to reduce the risk of a rat infestation, it’s not a guarantee that they will stay away. If you do suspect a rat infestation, it’s important you take steps to address them as they can pose a direct risk to human health. They are also prolific breeders so the sooner you deal with them, the better.
Conclusion
Food, shelter, water, poor hygiene practices and structural damage can all contribute to the risk of rats infesting your property. There are relatively straightforward best practices that can be employed to help to address these factors which can be implemented immediately.
There are also other factors that are harder to control, such as weather conditions pushing rats towards properties. However, staying vigilant and keeping a clean and tidy home and garden can still help to alleviate the risks.
Regardless, there can never be a guarantee of keeping rats at bay (especially if your neighbours are not following proper health and safety guidelines). If you do find yourself visited by these unwanted guests, there are various options in getting rid of them such as rat poisons and traps. If taking a course of DIY pest control, it’s important to always follow the manufacturer’s guidelines and familiarise yourself with the relevant legislation and industry best practices.
