In real life, rats are quite unlike any of the cute, cartoon versions you see on TV and in film. Aside from the squeamish factor, these rodents pose numerous dangers to both property and people.
Like other pests, rats invade human dwellings for food, water and shelter. But you certainly don’t want to be sharing your home with them. Rats leave their droppings everywhere, and they have the ability to pass on a host of diseases, some of which can be fatal. They can also chew through just about anything, including electrical wires, so add “fire hazard” to the laundry list of woes these rodents bring with them.
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How to Prevent a Rat Infestation
Cotton rats, Norway rats and roof rats are three of the more common species known to invade houses. Each is very different in behavior, so a different tactic is needed for their effective removal. However, the best strategy in pest control is prevention. Here are some on how to repel mice and rats from your home:
Store Food Properly
It’s not just the food in your kitchen that’s tantalizing for rats—though you should keep all of it stored properly in cabinets and in the refrigerator in addition to cleaning up after meals. Rats are omnivorous scavengers that will sift through your open garbage pails, pick through fallen fruit and vegetables in your garden and even snack on pet food that’s been left unattended outdoors. Do your best to lock down those garbage pail lids and harvest your fruits and vegetables. If you’ve got pets, avoid feeding them outside and pick up any uneaten food as soon as possible.
Repair Cracks and Fill Gaps
To avoid visits from rats, mice and other rodents, inspect your home regularly for cracks and gaps around the foundation, doors and windows. Even small holes can provide a wide open door to rats—that have a way of squeezing through the slimmest of spaces—so fill in and make repairs where necessary.
Nix Potential Hiding Places
Remember, rats are looking for shelter, and they’ll find it in piles of yard waste or other garbage that you have on your property, including unused vehicles. If you must store anything outside of your home, keep it off the ground and at least a foot away from the exterior of your home. Prune any trees, shrubs or other greenery so that they are at least a few feet away from your foundation, windows and roof.
Make Your Place Minty Fresh
Rats find mint almost as repugnant as humans find them. If you’ve got a garden, go ahead and plant some sprigs. Sprinkle peppermint oil indoors where rats might be lurking or trying to get in. It’s a gentle yet effective method, plus it helps keep your space smelling fresh and clean.
Set Traps and Bait
Gentler, non-toxic solutions can work on rats and other destructive pests and rodents, but if you suspect an infestation, you’ll have to take a sharper tactic. Mouse and rat traps are easily available, but make sure you purchase ones that won’t pose a hazard to the small humans and pets in your household. Set traps where you have seen rats or evidence of them, or by doors and other places they might come in. Rat bait and poisons are highly toxic and should be kept outside to avoid the risk of spreading it through your home.
Get a Cat
Cat vs. rodents are not just the stuff of old-time cartoons. They don’t get along in real life either, so it makes sense to bring a cat for mouse and rat control into your home—provided you actually like cats and aren’t allergic to them, of course. You don’t even need a ferocious feline, either; mice and rats only need a whiff of their scent to stay away.
Find the Source of the Trouble in the Neighborhood
Is there construction going on in your town? Overflowing dumpsters outside the restaurant on the corner? Sometimes no matter how secure your home or apartment might be, rats will still lurk in the vicinity. But when rats infest a neighborhood, it’s considered a public health issue. Depending on what city or town you live in, there may be a hotline you can call or a website you can visit to register a complaint of rat sightings.
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Signs of a Rat Infestation
You might not actually see any rats in action, but you’ll know they’re around. Rats are typically in hiding during the day, so if you do see one out and about, that’s a bad sign—it could mean that other rats have pushed them away from their shelter and they are in search of a new spot.
If you see holes in your foundation or anywhere else in or around your home, rats could be burrowing to find shelter. Squeaking or scratching sounds in the walls, basement, attic or other spots are also tell-tale signs.
You might even see teeth or smudge marks on surfaces. Rats have sharp teeth that can cut through many materials, including even soft concrete. They stay low to the ground and corners when they move at night, so you might even see smudges from the body oils that get secreted from their fur.
Then there are the droppings, which are the sure signs that you have a rodent problem. Rats tend to have healthy bowel movements, which is an unhealthy situation for you. Warning: Rodent droppings should be removed as quickly as possible, and the area should be cleaned and disinfected. People should use respiratory protection when removing rodent feces, and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends opening windows and otherwise ventilating the area while doing so.
When to Call in the Pros
It’s understandable to be concerned and perhaps a little terrified if you see even a single rat, let alone a horde of them. While you can take some of the steps above to prevent more from getting inside your home, it’s good to call the professionals or rat exterminators as soon as possible—some might say immediately—to take care of the situation before it gets any worse.
