How To Prevent Rats

Knowing you have a rat problem can be distressing, so it’s best to do everything you can to avoid the situation in the first place.

The best way to deter rats is to deny them access to food, water and shelter.

Unlike mice, they need daily access to a water source. They only drink between 15ml and 60ml of water a day, but they need access to it easily and consistently.

They’re renowned for eating just about anything, but they prefer to eat small amounts of a wide variety of foods, giving them a varied diet.

See our tips below on practical ways you can help to prevent a problem:

• Keep foodstuffs in metal or glass containers with tight fitting lids.
• Tidy inside the house and around the garden - less clutter means less places to hide.
• Put outdoor rubbish bags in metal bins with securely fitted lids to stop them feeding from contents.
• Clean up pet food and bird seed debris, and store pet food in robust containers with fitted lids - preferably above ground level.
• Keep gardens free from debris. If you have a compost heap don’t include organic food waste, as this will attract them.

If you have already spotted signs of rats, such as droppings, prevention may already be too late.

We would advise you to act quickly to get rid of rats and prevent a large infestation.

Rats are nimble and make the most of any opportunity to enter your home.

Black rats are good climbers and will happily inhabit lofts.

Brown rats can climb but tend to burrow more.

They are very adept at swimming in sewers and drain systems. Both species will gnaw at gaps to enlarge them enough for easy entry.