Rats do not have a real breeding season. Instead, they will have a baby boom of sorts. You see, rats will typically avoid breeding in the winter months due to the temperatures. However, if they are all cozy and tucked up in your attic or garage, for instance, that may be a perfect time.
Rats and mice are more common because of spring breeding and available food. Another peak in breeding occurs in early September as summer temperatures begin to cool.
The Winter Months Is The Peak Season for Rodent activity to start invading human dwellings in order to protect themselves from the cold outside and have access to food & water.
Typically, rats and mice don't have a breeding season. That's not to say that they don't have a 'baby boom' at certain stages of the year – it's just not limited to one specific time of year. Once a female mouse conceives, she'll give birth in as soon as 3 weeks. And each litter can have upwards of 10-12 babies.
This can be anywhere from August to late October in the United States. Once it cools off hoards of vermin will begin their search for warmer spaces where they can hunker down for winter. As the weather cools, mice and rats look for the most appealing and warmest spots to weather the winter months.
Rats and mice are nocturnal with most activity taking place between approximately one half hour after sunset to about one half hour before sunrise.
Rats nests usually consist of five to ten rats each. However, rats will often build their nests in close proximity to one another to form a social colony. Like mice, rats will continue to multiply and grow their population until they run out of resources to support themselves.
Actually, yes. Peppermint essential oil has risen greatly in popularity for its effectiveness against deterring rats from the home and can even prevent them from showing up at all with the proper techniques in place.
These pests will eat rubbish, pet food, food scraps, composts, fallen fruit and nuts, bird seed and dog faeces. Rats will travel up to several house blocks to find water and food.
Odors and smells that come from pet waste, pet food, garbage containers, barbecue grills, birdfeeders, and even from unharvested fruit and nuts from plants can attract rats and mice. Good sanitation habits can effectively improve the prevention of attracting rodents in your yard.
They will travel an area of about 30-50 metres from their burrows or nests in search of food or water.
For a relatively minor infestation, it will take around 3 weeks to eliminate rats. This is when you have a couple of rats scuttling around, but it's nothing serious. On the other hand, if you have a severe infestation, it can take up to 3 months to solve.
Rat infestations grow very quickly. Female rats reach sexual maturity within a few weeks of being born, and then they can mate several times a year, giving birth to about six baby rats with each gestation. That means that a couple of rats can turn into hundreds or even thousands in the span of a year.
Along with the rain and the cold, rodent season is upon us. Rats and mice can be a year-round pest problem, but when the wet and chilly weather arrives it sends the critters looking for a warm dry place to call home for the winter.
So, what is the fastest way to get rid of rats? Pest control is the most efficient method to get rid of rats quickly but the usage of mouse traps, snap traps, chemical baits, and live traps are all effective methods to get rid of rats as quickly and effectively as possible.
Baking soda combines with the stomach acids to produce carbon dioxide gas which rats are unable to tolerate. In turn, it builds up within their system and eventually causes internal blockage and rupture. Soon enough, you will have the rat-free environment you always deserved.
Rats prefer to hide in places that are tucked out of the way and that aren't often disturbed. Outdoors they will hide under piles of debris, under trash piles, in dumpsters and trash cans, in trees, and in sewers. They can also be found under bushes and shrubs, in woodpiles, and in gutters.
You can estimate how many rats are in your home based on droppings, footprints, gnaw marks, and other signs you observe. Unchecked, a small group of rats can multiply quickly and can become a larger infestation if left unattended. Droppings of rats of different sizes indicate a mix of young and old rats.
The first step in determining if all of the rats are gone is to look for signs of their activity. Look around your home for droppings, nesting materials, smudges on walls, and gnaw marks. If you don't see any of these signs, then it's a good indication that the rats have left the area.
Rats cannot tolerate smells such as ammonia, mothballs, peppermint oil, crushed cayenne pepper, and pepper spray due to their intensified sense of smell. Clean and uncluttered homes and yards scare rats due to the lack of food and places to hide, as well.
Peppermint Oil
On a cotton ball use no more than 5 drops of 100% peppermint essential oil. Spread the oil on areas that you want rats to avoid, in your case, around the garden.