Rats are more common than you think, despite them usually being associated with dark alleyways and underground sewers.
They’re resilient creatures, and will usually make visits to your garden in search of food and shelter.
These pests are one of the largest carriers of potential diseases, and as they are hard pests to get rid of – a property with a “severe infestation” could take “up to three months to clear”, according to garden specialist James Ewens at Green Feathers. So it’s crucial to rat-proof your garden.
To avoid this happening, James has explored three habits that could be attracting rats to your outdoor space.
1. Providing nesting spaces
Compost
A compost bin makes for a great shelter, therefore, households should consider a sealed compost heap.
If not make sure to turn it regularly, and don’t keep it near any sides, fencing or hedging.
Movability
Reduce garden access and mobility by blocking any holes, walls, floors and doors of your garden outbuildings, decking, and anything that rats could pass through and set up shelter in.
2. Slacking on maintenance
Upkeep
When enjoying your garden you can become complacent when it comes to upkeep. James recommends keeping your garden pruned and trimmed, and ridding your garden of any long weeds or grass which “provide cover, and allow for rats to move around out of sight”.
Clutter
As rats don’t like open spaces, clutter also makes great hiding places. Remove anything from cardboard and wood to leftover construction materials, or garden waste. James claimed: “Keeping your garden more tidy and open will be more likely to scare rats away.”
Open spaces
Gardeners should try to keep an open space of lawn at the centre of their garden as “rats hate open spaces”.
This might be enough for them to find your garden “inhospitable”, and move on to another area.
3. Unexpected food sources
Bird feeders
The “most common reason rats enter your garden” is through food sources. One of the main causes is bird feeders that drop seeds onto the ground.
Therefore, replace standard bird feeders with squirrel and rat-proof ones, and as birds are messy eaters, make sure they have a fitted tray that catches any falling seeds, leaving no leftovers for these pesky pests.
Compost
Your compost bin doesn’t only make for a great shelter, they can also become an “all-you-can-eat buffet for rodents”.
James urged: “Never put cooked food in the compost, and if you think rats are visiting your garden, stop putting raw food in there too.”
Food storage
If you store your food in an outbuilding, make sure it is stored securely. For an extra layer of protection, use chicken wiring or metal plates to ensure that “they can’t get in” under any circumstances.
Dinner time
For those who leave food out for other garden animals, do so in the open. Rats like to stay hidden when feeding, so move your feeding station to the middle of the garden.
Bins
Rubbish bins can get very dirty very quickly and “give off enticing smells to rodents”, so keep your bins as far away from your property as possible. However, don’t keep them in direct sunlight, and make sure that rats can’t climb in and access them.
