Something you may not know about rats is how they want to be near us. The reason is we provide them with all the vital things they want and need to live and grow. Rats are very social rodents and work better together than alone.
What Does A Rat Need?
- Shelter
- Food
- Water
- Community
I say community and I mean it rats are able to reproduce pretty rapidly, so it is vital that if you have a rat infestation that you are proactive about ridding yourself of that problem.
Do Rats Carry Diseases?
Yes, and there are some that are deadly.
Here is a shortlist, to name a few:
- Hantavirus
- Jaundice
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV)
- Murine Typhus
- Plague
- Rat Bite Fever
- Salmonella
- Weils
A rat can cause some of the most awful damage to your home with the ability to chew through steel and wood they will put holes in your home or buildings that are expensive to fix and frustrating to deal with.
Not to mention they will eat the contents of your pantry and that does mean the nice salty chips and the oreo cookies!
Hi, I’m Mike Streeter the Pest Insider and I have worked in the pest industry for several years. In this post, I will tell you everything you need to know from start to finish to get rid of rats and keep them away.
Fortunately for you, I have the expertise to help you gain the knowledge to take on a rodent infestation project on your own.
Rats can do scary things to your home, they contaminate food sources, gnaw on buildings and homes, chew electrical wiring that may cause fires and expensive fixes, and harbor diseases like I mentioned above.
How To Keep Rats Away
1. Identifying Rats
There are several species of rat, however, the most common ones that we deal with in America are the Roof Rat and the Norway Rat.
- Roof Rat- are commonly found in attics along fences, and in trees. They will usually nest in trees and attics. Their nose is pointy, they have big eyes and big ears and a full-grown adult can weigh somewhere between 6-8 lbs.
- Norway Rat- are commonly found burrowing in crawl areas under foundations. They usually nest somewhere near the ground level. or they may decide to gnaw a hole. Their nose is blunt and an adult can weigh anywhere between 8-10 lbs
2. Inspection
Get a flashlight for this. Now I want you to go around your home and check every place on the inside that has a water source or an open entry from the outside, the basement, crawlspace, and garage.
- Bathroom, Kitchen, and Utility Sinks
- Water Heater Area
- Dishwasher
- Refrigerator (pull it out) if possible
- Stove Drawer (pull it out)
- Washer and Dryer Areas
- Attics (mainly check the gable vents and look for holes in the screening)
Also check all the rooms, pantry, and closets for evidence of rats.
You are looking for rat droppings in all these places as well.
Description: Norway Rat droppings are slightly different than Roof Rat droppings the way to tell the difference is Norway Rat droppings have a more blunt rounded end and Roof Rat droppings have a pointy end to it.
Rat droppings are also much larger than mouse droppings.
Fact: Rats and other rodents are unable to control where they defecate because of their simple body structure.
In the areas you find the rat droppings you are looking for holes, the holes you find from rats will not be as discrete as mice are. It is almost like the rat wants you to know they were there.
Ok poop discussion over.
Places You May Find Rat Holes:
- Gable Vents
- Crawlspace Vents
- Plumbing Under and Around Sinks
- Paneling
- Damaged Pipes
- Near The Edge of Doors and Entryways
Any holes found will need to be sealed either with filler, caulk, or silicone.
But for now, the best thing to fill it with if you are dealing with an ongoing rat issue is copper mesh or stainless steel. Rats do not like the feel of this brushing against their teeth, face, and whiskers.
If you want to go the extra mile you can do the copper mesh or steel wool then seal it with the caulk or silicone.
Outside Inspection
Walk around the outer perimeter of the foundation of your home. You will want to check for holes in the ground, a lot of times rats will burrow under the foundation to gain entry if they feel it is easier than putting a hole into a crawlspace/basement door. Look for signs of entry if something doesn’t look right it probably isn’t.
Once you have inspected everything you will want to clean everything up and throw away eaten food.
3. Monitoring Behavior
You will want to clean up all your findings so that as things are happening you can pinpoint the areas that rats are coming in so as to correctly place baits, traps, and deterrents for elimination.
This is the easiest step to perform but arguably one of the most important ones to do.
4. Defend Your Yard, Gardens, and Natural Areas
Make sure that you harvest all ripened fruits and vegetables out of your garden, and keep it maintained. If you have a bird feeder make sure that all used seeds are picked up off the ground. Cut all tall grass and foliage that is overgrown, these places can be a great place for rats to hide. Also, look for vegetation that has been suppressed, this may be caused by heavy rodent traffic.
5. Keep The Outside Areas Well-Manicured
It is important to keep all bushes, trees, and limbs trimmed back 4 feet away from the house to ensure rats won’t be making an easy entry. Overgrowth of bushes and trees can also create an area that rats can live and hide.
This is also a good time to clean out your gutters and make sure that there are no holes. If you want to go the extra mile you can install grates on your gutters, this won’t only protect your home from leaves and debris, but it will make it harder for rats to move freely along your roof.
6. Seal Cracks, Gaps, and Fill Holes
- Hose Faucets- If you have a gap in the brick concrete or siding in these areas be sure to fill them with copper mesh and caulk to ensure a good seal.
- Crawlspace Vents- If your vents missing the screen, falling out or damaged make sure to fix or replace them.
- Gable Vents- Repair wire or screening on these vents to avoid access to rats.
- Paneling- Repair holes with caulk, copper mesh or steel wool.
- Repair Pipes- If you have a leak in any pipes this will create multiple problems for your home, 1 it will create a water source for rodents, and 2 it may create an avenue for entry into your home.
- Chimney- putting caging or grating around the chimney top is important too.
- Seal All Air Vents- Whether it is an exhaust vent or a dryer vent I would suggest putting a cage around it.
Make sure to seal any holes where wire or piping comes in or goes out from the structure.
Any holes that can be bored out by rats should be sealed. Rats will gnaw a hole to become the size of about 2” around. A rat can squeeze its entire body through a hole it can fit its head into.
7. Set Traps Indoors
You have so many choices of traps when it comes to rats. There are catch and release, plastic easy set snaps, glue boards. I would advise that you set these traps in a place where children and pets can not get to them.
8. Rat Boxes and Poison Baits Outdoors
Rats are messy eaters and if you have children, or pets using baits inside is not a good idea because the bait will get strewn all over the place. Rat poison can be fatal for living mammals under 10 lbs that eat it. Here are the rat boxes, rodent baits, and traps that I recommend (check them out on my recommended products page).
Place rat bait boxes in places that you see activity:
- Along the outside foundation of structures
- Fencelines
- Crawlspaces
- Unfinished basements
- Attics
- Under bushes
- At the base of a bird feeder
- At the edge of a composting area
- Barrier walls near pools, pool houses, and decking
Anywhere that children and pets won’t be present.
If you have a crawl space I have found the most success putting a rat box in that area.
One thing to remember when placing rat boxes is that you want the hole of the box to be flush against the wall also don’t place rat boxes near downspouts since there will be some expected wetness there and water ruins rodent bait.
If you follow these simple guidelines you should do great.
9. Properly Store and Dispose of Food and Waste
The idea here is to make your home and property a less conducive area for rats to dwell.
- Keep your home free of clutter and debris
- Keep the dishes clean and free of food
- Make your kids eat in the kitchen and clean their room of candy wrappers and trash.
- Put pet foods in a sealable storage container.
- If you have a pet be sure that after you feed them that you put the excess food away leave no evidence of food anywhere.
- Make sure that all your trash lids are on and secure so you don’t attract unwanted rodents to your home.
10. Dispose or Remove Habitat Findings
Rats will chew up wrappers, newspaper, paper bags and plastics and wad it all together to make a nest. You will want to get rid of these when you find them.
When you are talking about someone’s hair looking like a rat nest this is where the term comes from.
Rats may also make their nest under bushes and limbs, gardens and vegetation, in woodpiles, attics, batted and blown-in insulation, wall voids, yard piles and debris, and in basement/crawlspace areas.
Make sure to move woodpiles a few feet out from the foundation of your home and on a pallet. If you have a burn, it is time to burn it. Remove all debris from the yard and don’t lean wood pallets or boards against your home.
Summary
Once you have rid yourself of a rodent problem you can take the stations and bait away. It is okay to keep it out as a preventative measure if you want, however, in my experience, you will just be attracting more rodents to your property. I hope you find that this information was very helpful, and if you have further questions about rodents I can answer them at thepestinsider@gmail.com
Just a little add-in here results do vary when it comes to getting rid of rodents, however, a probable time frame to get rid of the issue with bait and traps is in about 4-6 weeks.
This is my guide so good luck to you!
Look below to see some other helpful posts I wrote about rodents.
Warning- if you are doing this all yourself I strongly advise that you read all labels on rodenticides that you will be using to treat your home for rats. Make sure to wear gloves when handling rodenticides to avoid skin contact with the chemical.
If you see a child or a pet has eaten a rodent bait call 911 and get help, then call poison control immediately at 1 800- 222-1222. Or visit their site at https://www.poison.org/articles/2007-oct/mouse-and-rat-poisons
Related Posts
What Do Exterminators Do To Stop A Rat Problem?
So, what do exterminators do to stop a rat problem? In short, exterminators will do an inspection of your home then they will place rat bait and traps in dwellings, water source areas, and feeding areas to stop them from becoming a larger issue.
What Do Exterminators Do To Stop A Mouse Problem? What do exterminators do to stop a mouse problem? Most Pest Applicators use poison to stop a mouse problem. If you are not a pesticide person and you don’t mind disposing of mouse carcasses traps work too. There is, however, a refined technique that should be implemented.
