Fruit and berries — Out of all the foods rodents consume, their top two loves are generally fruits and berries. In the wild, rats and mice consume these foods at every opportunity. Therefore, raspberry and blackberry bushes — as well as apple and pear trees — can serve as magnets for the animals.
To increase your odds of catching the critters, place traps inside closets, as well as under any furniture — like sofas, chairs, or even cabinets — sitting along the walls. A clever way to lure rats into traps is to cut a hole on each side of a shoebox and place it along a suspected rat path with a baited trap inside.
Rats are most attracted to high protein foods. When trapping rats, opt for baits such as peanut butter, hazelnut spread, bacon, dried fruits, or cereal. Snap traps should be placed perpendicular to the wall near signs of rodent activity (to find out where your area of high activity is, please see Diagnose Your Home).
Peanut butter makes an easy rat lure that most people already have in their pantry. A scoop or dollop of the spread can serve as a highly attractive bait, since it gives off an intriguing odor that rats easily detect. Another perk of peanut butter? It's also a non-toxic option.
They are fond of walnuts, almonds, and peanut butter. All fallen fruit and nuts should be regularly removed and discarded in the trash. Rodents also feed on bird seed, snails, garden vegetables and dog droppings. Store pet food in metal containers with tight fitting lids.
There are two effective ways to drive rodents out of hiding: using food bais to attract them outside and utilizing repellents to force them out of the nest. If you choose to bait them, bait like peanut butter will attract them outside in no time.
Rats become active at night, particularly around dusk and near dawn.
Fastrac Blox is the fastest-acting block rodenticide currently available. Its effective knockdown when compared to anticoagulants means more rodents can be controlled with less bait, saving pest controllers time and money. Can be used up to 30m from buildings and permanent structures.
All you need to do is mix 2 – 2 and a half cups of ammonia, 100 – 200 mL of water and a 2-3 spoonful of detergent in a bowl. Then, put it to places where rats are usually seen. The smell of ammonia is very pungent that it instantly kills rats.
Eucalyptus or Peppermint oil can repel rats because they hate the smell. Another way to use a rat's sense of smell against them is to plant peppermint and catnip in strategic places. Diatomaceous earth is non-toxic to humans, but it can dry out rats until they die.
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 will often stay outside during the day and return at night, usually by crawling through drains to enter the house. They are particularly active during the summer, breeding and fattening up, ready to withstand the perils of winter.
As it turns out, there are several smells that these pests cannot stand, which means you can use them to your advantage. But what exactly do mice and rats hate to smell? Mice can be kept away by using the smells of peppermint oil, cinnamon, vinegar, citronella, ammonia, bleach, and mothballs.
Rats are neophobic, meaning they are afraid of anything new and unfamiliar in their environment and this includes traps. If it's been a few weeks and you're aren't having any luck with your trap, you might need to give it more time. Rats may avoid traps for some time until they feel familiar enough with them.
Scents That Attract Rats
Birdseed – Birdseed that collects on your deck or nearby the side of your home may be attracting rodents to your property, ultimately encouraging them to linger around, and even enter your home. Make sure to sweep up and extra.
If you decide to use poison, you need to ensure that, firstly, you place sufficient rat bait to ensure that it does not all get eaten the first night, although rats are naturally hesitant to feed immediately and may wait a few days before trusting this new food source.
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.
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.
Failing to report a rat infestation is not wise – they do not disappear of their own accord and they will likely spread.
Rats are social creatures and need the company of other rats. They use their sense of smell to recognise others, finding out about where they've been and what they've been doing. As rats are social animals, they can get depressed and develop abnormal behaviour if they live on their own.
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.
Bury an unset rat trap beneath the sawdust. Place an enticing food trail leading to the box, and place the food on top of the sawdust including directly over the trigger. Once the rat has habituated to the box and is actively taking the food, install only one food piece directly to the trap trigger and set the trap.