Effective Methods to Control Rats Outdoors

Rats are disease-carrying rodents that can cause much damage especially if their population is allowed to increase, besides food contamination these rodents are known to destroy garden plants including the consumption of  ( vegetable gardens and fruit-producing plants) food crops. The presence of rats indicates that they are searching for a food and water source, shelter, and a place to raise their young. If your yard provides these sources these uninvited guests will make themselves at home.

A female rat can give birth to 6 litters a year consisting of up to 12 rat pups, which means in a year 2 rats can produce around 1, 250 rats. An increased population of this size has the potential to grow even larger. With these staggering numbers and the problems, rats present from health-related issues to creating ( chewing on electrical wires that can cause fires) hazards it is important to move quickly to discourage them from our yards including controlling their population.

Signs of Rats in Your Yard

• Visible signs ( seeing and hearing them).
• Rat droppings.
• High concentrations of rat droppings may be seen around nesting and feed sites and along runways or the paths that rats take.
• Partly consumption or the entire food crops.
• Unpleasant odors.
• In grassy areas, the vegetation will be flattened, worn, or dead with a distinctive pathway.
• Holes or burrows in your flower bed or other garden areas, this is where rats go for coverage and to produce offspring.
• Look for grease marks along steps, fences, gate posts, or the exterior of building walls adjacent to your landscape or garden space.
• Rats love to gawn on surfaces to maintain the size and the health of their teeth, gawn marks can be usually seen on a garden hose, fences, plants, garden doors, low-grade concretes, rubber, vinyl, wooden material, etc…

Note: It is best to consider calling first a professional company to do the job for you.

Natural Methods for Controlling Rats in Your Yard

• Keep your landscape and garden nicely trimmed at all times, a garden that’s allowed to have overgrown plants, shrubs, and grass will attract rats.
• Keep your garden and landscape clean by removing leaf litter and other dead plant materials.
• Ensure there are no open containers that can collect water, rats will use these containers as a water source. Dispose of old unused tires that can also collect water.
• Many garden plants have a center cup that holds water, rats will use these plant types as a water source so make sure that the water is removed from the center cups of these plants or try plant replacement.
• Make sure that your garbage disposal area is cleaned, your garbage container should be in good repair with no holes at the bottom and containers should also have tightly fitted lids.
• Ensure at the end of the day that your pet food and water dish has no food or water and is cleaned and put away.
• Keep your yard free of clutter because rats are attracted to clutter and will use these areas to take cover.
• Remove fallen fruits from your garden.
• Rats hate the scent of these plants, their presence in your garden will deter rats, Spearmint, mint, citronella plants, and pennyroyal.
• Herbs such as rosemary, oregano, cayenne, sage, black pepper, and basil have been known to create a boundary that will keep rodents at bay.

Simple Home Remedies for Rat Control

•  In a container mix 4-3 tablespoons of white flour and 1-2 tablespoons of yeast, next add some grated cheese to the mixture. Make a paste with this mixture by adding some water and mixing thoroughly. Place the container in areas of your yard where you suspect rat activity. Once the rats consume this mixture it will start to ferment in their stomach causing them not to be unable to digest it bringing suffocation.
• Mix 4 teaspoons of baking soda with 4 tablespoons of corn muffin mix and place in areas where rats are seen, this simple mixture is so powerful and will kill them.

Other Methods to Control Yard Rats

• Rat bait stations are effective with rat control, these stations are easy to set up, once the station is loaded with 4 eradication blocks close the bait station ensuring it’s secure, and place stations against the exterior of your home structure. Each station should be 20-40 feet apart. Check the station once a day and replenish baits as needed. It may take 2 weeks or a bit longer before the reduction in pest activity is noticed.
• Rat Snap Traps and Baiting Stations can be used as a means of control, setting the rat trap inside a non-tampered proof bait station will avoid contact with people, pets, or non-target animals. Place bait stations alongside pathways that rats take to get to the landscape or garden area. Don’t place traps in the garden, check the traps daily to remove any rodents.
• An effective method that worked very well for me was to put peanut butter on rat baits followed by placing or throwing the baits in the rat hole or burrow, however, this method should not be used if there are kids or pets.

Conclusion

The control of rats can be a simple process but if the population or the infestation is heavy can become a challenge since rats are known to be intelligent rodents. The good news is this guide is here to help you to stop these pests in their tracks. Rats are disease-carrying and can also cause damages that can amount to hundreds or even thousands of dollars, why let these rodents take over your yard when you can strike back bringing complete and total elimination? If you have a rat issue contact us and let us help you put an effective plan in place that will produce a rat-free zone.