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Why Are There So Many Rats in My House?

a rat in your home

Nobody enjoys sharing their home with uninvited guests, especially furry, four-legged ones with twitchy noses and long, creepy tails. Unfortunately, rats can be persistent visitors who squeeze through seemingly impossible gaps, leave property destruction, and pose significant health risks. They’re big nuisances that can wreak havoc in your home, making it an unsafe environment for you and your family.

So, what exactly causes rats to come into your house? What attracts these rodents to build their nests in your home?

In this blog, we unravel what attracts rats to your property and explain why they keep returning despite your efforts to get rid of them. Understanding these factors can help you plan and implement effective prevention methods that deter rodents and discourage colony-building in your home.

Experts from House Painters in GA have said that far from their small appearance, rats can cause major damage to any home and establishment. They will chew just about anything they see—whether it’s paper, cloth, books, or wood—so they can make their nests. Their uncontrollable desire to gnaw their teeth can even bite through wires! 

To remedy infestation problems in your property, you should know the things that attract rats to your home before hiring professional pest control services for rats in the Philippines.

If you have a messy kitchen with opened cereal boxes, exposed rice grain sacks, or pieces of leftovers you’re likely to get rats in your home. Because of their strong sense of smell, they will enter your house if they smell food. They may even chew on sealed plastic packaging just to access your food.

While rats will eat your fresh food, they won’t be picky when all they can access are spoiled ingredients. If you have a fully exposed garbage can, you have a higher chance of attracting rats to your home. So, make sure to cover all trash cans and improve your kitchen cleaning routine to avoid rodents rummaging through your garbage. 

rat eating food in your home

Other than human meals and garbage, rats also see plants as a food source. If you have an outdoor garden, they can dig up root crops and damage them before harvest time. Indoors, rats are attracted to potted plants because they provide a safe spot away from people. The pot serves as their shelter while giving them access to fruits and water.

Rats are also creatures who seek out moisture. So if they don’t find it outside, they will search inside your home for a watering hole. And with a steady supply of water, they can make your house their nest too.

Just like other animals, rats also need a comfortable place to live in. When searching for a home, they favor warm and cozy spaces. Because of this, you might see them gnawing through insulation, wires, and wood in a quest to find shelter. This is why when you have a cluttered house, it’s easy for them to find a nest to hide in. 

Plus, they’re attracted to heat-producing appliances like washing machines and refrigerators. You have to be careful and vigilant of this since their nibbling increases the chances of fire.

Rats are small creatures that can access even the smallest entryways to your home. Any hole the size of an inch can be a pathway where these pests can enter. And since they’re also good at climbing, even windows on your second floor can provide them access inside.

To prevent infestations, check for small gaps on your walls, floors, and foundation. Inspect the baseboards, drains, crawlspaces, and the roof for holes and patch them immediately to lessen the entry points for rats.

rat using an accessible pathway to access your home

Knowing the causes of infestations and the steps to getting rid of rats at home is the first step to their extermination. However, if done improperly, you can experience a recurring rodent infestation. 

Why do rats keep coming back, you ask? Here are the 3 main reasons rodents keep coming back. 

A rodent infestation can be a persistent one because these rats reproduce rapidly. 

Typically, female rodents can give birth to up to 10 litters a year. Per litter of rodents, they produce an average of 8 pups. In addition, rodents reach sexual maturity in around 6 weeks. Therefore, every litter of rodents is ready to reproduce in less than 2 months. If you leave even just a pair of rodents in your home, another infestation will crop up in time. 

Another reason for your rodent problem is that they consider your home the best area to provide their two most important needs: food and shelter.

Even if you keep a relatively clean household, you can still end up with a recurrent rodent problem if you miss a few key elements. Here are a few of the things that attract rodents back onto your property: 

  • Keeping food out in the open — even pet food left unattended in food bowls or outdoor feeders can be very attractive to rodents.
  • Keeping food in containers that are not airtight.
  • Using outdoor feeders that are easy to access. 
  • Unsealed holes or gaps on the outdoor perimeter of your home.
  • Open windows or doors.

If you make your home inaccessible and remove possible food sources, rodents will be less driven to live on your property. 

rats infesting a property for food

If you’re using store-bought pest treatments and DIY pest control techniques, you can catch a few rodents or even reduce their numbers. However, this is just a band-aid solution. It does not solve the root cause of your rodent infestation. 

What you need is a method that provides two things: control and prevention. This is where an expert in household pest control, like TOPBEST, comes in. With our years of experience and well-trained pest professional team, we know the most effective methods for rodent prevention. Working with our team can save you time, money, and stress in the long run. 

Knowing the things that attract rats to your home and being aware of why they keep coming back is key to treating infestations. However, there are still numerous prevention strategies you can implement to make your house rat-proof! That said, one of the best ways to ensure that these pests won’t be interested in your space is by enlisting the help of pest control professionals in the Philippines.

Here at TOPBEST, our technicians and inspectors are professionally accredited to make your home or establishment a pest-free place. With eco-friendly products, updated detectors, a reliable team of experts, and flexible payment terms, you’re guaranteed to receive the results you want.

Contact us today to get started — we offer free consultation! 

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