When the temperature starts to drop in winter, rats may seek food and shelter indoors. These rodents stay active throughout the winter.
Rats are mammals, meaning they need to maintain a warm body temperature to survive. Coupled with the fact that harsh winter months mean there are fewer food sources readily available, and you can see why rats might decide to call your house “home” when it gets cold out.
In winter it is normal for rodents to move out of the sewers and external tunnels in gardens, and move indoors to find warmer places to harbour during the colder months. They love garages, ceilings, factories, offices, basements, shop storerooms etc.
Other factors that might attract rodents to your home are:
- Dirty environment, especially if left over food is left out
- Areas that provide shelter, such as woodpiles, leaf piles, shrubs or debris
- Pet food or excrement
- Easy access to food and water – they’ll even climb into your rubbish bin to get something to eat!
- Easy access to your home
Here are a few ways that you can minimise the risk of getting a rodent infestation:
- Fix leaky outdoor taps to cut off water supplies.
- Inspect your home and plug up any holes that are larger than 2cm.
- Clean your home regularly, paying special attention to the kitchen and refuse areas.
- Store dry goods and pet food in containers made of metal or glass.
- Feed your pets inside the house and keep their water bowls indoors. You should also keep litter boxes clean and pick up any pet faeces from your yard.
- Make sure the lids on your rubbish bins are secured tightly to help prevent rats from accessing the contents.
- Keep your garden free of fallen tree branches, leaf piles or debris.
Those first few months of hard lockdown also meant the rats could run around our towns and cities relatively uninterrupted. There was very little (if any) regular rodent control being done and their numbers have exploded.
If your house or business have been invaded by Rats, Service Master offers a multitude of rat control solutions. Contact Us today for the best rat control solution for your business or home.
