How do Rats Survive in Homes

Rats can be found in numerous homes across the UK since the only things they need to survive are food, water and shelter which they can quite easily find in your home. Especially during the colder months rats and many other kinds of pests will find your house a much nicer place to hide rather than the outdoors. 

This should help you to understand why having rats in the home can be dangerous, what you can do to stop them and how to notice them living in your home.

 

Why Are Rats So Dangerous?

The two main things that attract rats to your house is the food and shelter. These pests can squeeze through gaps only a few centimetres wide and hide themselves away in small crevices or even cluttered messy areas of the house. When food left on the floor or surfaces and hasn’t been cleaned up properly, this gives the rats food to eat and giving them no reason to leave. 

Apart from being a nuisance, they can also be very dangerous to have in the home, they can cause damage to your property and your health. This can be through chewed wires which can cause fires as well as diseases being spread through the food they have been eating or the worktops they have been running on.

 

What Do Rats Eat?

Rats are usually very picky eaters, however, when their preferred food is not available they will pretty much eat whatever they can get their hands on. In the wild, rats would generally eat things like nuts, seeds, berries and vegetables, however, in winter these foods will usually not be as available so rats will enter your home to see what they can find.

In your home, rats would generally go for things like cereals, oats, pet food, rice and vegetables as most of these are normally stored in cardboard boxes or anything inside flimsy packaging as they are easy to get through. 

 

How To Keep Rats Away

It is better to treat the problem early, the longer you leave it the bigger the infestation will get and the harder it will be to get rid off. This is what you can do to stop the rats from coming or staying in your home.

 

Fill any gaps or holes

Rats are able to squeeze into the smallest of holes. Check all around your property for any holes and no matter how small they are, you should fill them with proper materials. 

 

Don’t Give Them Food

You need to make sure you are diligent with covering all types of food. You need to cover all bins properly, ensure pet food isn’t left out, clean up crumbs from the floor and ensure fruit in the garden is picked when it’s ripe, so it doesn’t fall on the floor ready for rats to eat.

 

Set Up Traps 

You can quite easily find traps online that you can buy ready to use, this won’t necessarily stop them coming in but if there are a lot of them and you need to catch them, this could be a good option.

 

Remove Their Home

Any small crevices or cluttered spaces etc. are great spaces for rats to hide in your home. Ensuring you go around your house and making sure there is nowhere for them to hide is very important.

 

Call The Pros 

Although there are things you can do by yourself, it is always most effective if you call a professional. These rodents can be dangerous so its best not to try dealing with them yourself. We are based in Bedford but cover St Neots, Ampthill, Biggleswade and beyond. If you are in need of a professional, Ace Pest Control has over 30 years of experience so why not give us a call on 01234 838 391 or fill out our online contact form.