How to Get Rid of Rats In Your Yard
Rats can be unwanted pests that become nuisances in your yard very quickly. What can be done to get rid of these pesky critters? There are several ways to go about ridding your yard of rats. All Star Pest Management provides some tips.
What are Rats?
Rats stand out amongst the rodent community as one of the worst offenders for being pesty and invasive. They are described as any of several rodent families that have small, brown bodies and long, thin tails. Throughout history, rats have been known as notorious menaces to humankind. They have been responsible for destroying and contamination stored food, causing the extinction of some small mammal populations, and spreading more than 40 known diseases throughout the modern world.
Signs You Have a Rat Problem in Your Yard
How do you know if rats are a problem in your yard? Maybe you’ve seen a few, but does that count as an infestation? Perhaps you haven’t seen any rats, but you have wondered if you have a rat problem due to certain happenings. Here’s what to look for to check for a rat issue in your yard.
- Rat Nests
A rat’s nest usually consists of twigs, sticks, and leaves, but can also be made of garbage, candy wrappers, paper bags, and just about anything a rat can gather together to use as a nest. Some rats enjoy using fabric or cloth to construct a nest - Rat Droppings
Seeing clusters of dark brown or black pellets could mean you have a rat nearby. Rats also urinate interestingly, leaving a small pillar of urine where they’ve gone. These are telltale signs you may have a rat problem in your yard. - Gnaw Marks
One of the most telling signs of a rat problem is the existence of gnaw marks. Rats will try to eat nearly any type of human food and if you have seen anything in your outdoor areas that has been chewed, you likely have a rat problem. - Noises
Hearing noises in your yard or in your outdoor storage areas that sound like scratching, scraping, or squeaking could mean that you have a rat problem. - Grease Spots or Smears
Rats have oily fur and sometimes they leave oily spots or streaks behind. If you see spots, smears, or streaks, it could mean you have a rat problem. - Rat Footprints
The presence of foot or paw prints in your yard could mean that you have rats living in your yard.
How to Get Rid of the Rats in Your Yard
Here are some things to do to rid your yard of rats.
- Make sure to close any outdoor pet food carefully and tightly. This will reduce the presence of the odor of pet foods that could potentially bring rats to your yard.
- Clear your yard of clutter that would be appealing to a rat. Remove old appliances, clean out bird feeders, and throw out any other garbage that a rat could see as a potential home.
- Keep a tight and/or heavy lid on your outdoor garbage. Garbage is very appealing to rats, so it’s a great idea to keep it locked up nice and tight so that rats aren’t attracted to your garbage.
Here are some things not to do when you want to get rid of the rats in your yard.
- Do not leave trash in your yard.
- Do not leave bird feeders unattended.
- If you have outdoor animals, such as chickens or ducks, keep them locked up at night. Rats have been known to steal eggs or kill small birds. Securing the enclosure for backyard chickens means keeping rats away.
- Don’t leave pet water bowls in the yard. These can attract rats because they are usually looking for a water source.
Removal of Rats from the Yard
It is important to note that putting out any type of poisonous bait can be harmful to other animals, including family pets, wild birds, and others. Do not leave this type of bait out in the open. Even children can be seriously harmed by this type of bait.
If you suspect you have a rat infestation, contact your neighbors. It can be hard to rid the yard of rats if the rats have another yard to which they can retreat. The removal of yard rats needs to be a team event.
All Star Pest Management
When in doubt call the experts. All Star Pest Management has exactly the right tools and skills to remove the rats from your yard. If you are doing your part to control garbage, limit leaving garbage in the yard where rats can shelter, and keeping outdoor trash and food locked up tight, the rats are less likely to congregate outside your abode. However, this may still happen. If it does, give All Star Pest Management a call. Using green products, they are the best in the DC/Baltimore area for the removal of unwanted pests. To contact All Star Pest Management, visit our website to book an appointment, or call (410) 505-4759.