How to get rid of rats in your garden and avoid infestation explained
RATS are the last things you want to find in your garden.
Here's how to stop them from getting in - and how to avoid an infestation.
How to tell if you have rats in your garden?
There are some tell-tale signs of a rat infestation - one of which is small black droppings.
The rodents also tend to leave dirty marks and smudges, so keep an eye out, especially where you might have had a BBQ or picnic, as crumbs of food can attract rats.
If any of your furniture has teeth marks or signs of gnawing, it is likely from a rat.
You should keep a look out for a rats' nest, usually in a dry spot hidden from predators.
The creatures are also great burrowers.
Footprints are a giveaway that rats are present and you may find a rat-run from any nest to the food source.
Cats and other predators may alert you to rats as can the ammonia-like odour.
How to tell if you have rats in your home?
Rats can be found anywhere that food is kept so they might sneak in to your home.
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Make sure to keep a lookout for tiny droplets around cupboards, the bottom of your fridge and freezer and anywhere you eat your food.
Rats carry a strong smell so you may be able to smell rats in parts of your home where they would live.
If there is a dark yellow stain in hidden areas such as your washing machine or the top of your dishwasher, chances are there are rats or mice living there.
Tiny bite marks on food boxes is also a sign of an infestation.
What food in my house attracts rats?
You might be attracting rats into your home if you store certain food that rats like.
According to Home Serve, these foods include (but are not limited to) the following:
- Grains and seeds
- Fruits and berries
- Nuts
- Meat
- Food scraps
- Clothing or material from an animal, like wool or leather
How can I avoid rat infestation?
There are multiple ways you can avoid rat outbreaks, like covering holes or gaps in walls and around pipes.
Home Serve also suggests clearing up fallen fruit from trees and bushes as well as avoiding planting bushes closer than 3ft from your home.
Make sure if you're growing vegetables you harvest them promptly.
Rats hate the smell of mint, so savvy homeowners might want to plant some towards the back and front entrances of your home.
The best piece of advice for people looking to avoid rat infestations is to keep your garden as clean as possible; this includes clearing gardens and alleyways where rats find shelter from the weather.
When you feed birds, you might also be feeding rats so be sure to keep the bird food up in high places that only supports minimal weight.
How can I get rid of rats humanely?
Many councils will provide a pest control service but you may have to pay for this.
If you wish to deal with the problem alone there are a number of ways to catch rats.
Options like traps and poisons are effective but are inhumane which can cause long-drawn-out deaths.
Rat poison can also be toxic to humans and other pets you have in your home.
However, there are increasingly many kinder ways to dispose of your rats, including the following which Home Serve list:
- Humane cage traps - humane cages trap the rodents but do not kill them so they can be released elsewhere afterwards.
- Electromagnetic and ultrasonic devices - these devices use sound to ward off rodents and are simply plugged into the wall.
- Outdoor repellers - these have a motion detector which, when triggered, emits a powerful burst of ultrasound, to harmlessly scare the rodents away
- Family pets - having larger pets around such as cats and dogs is also a good way to deter the pests.