Large urban environments provide an ideal habitat for rats to survive and thrive in. In Toronto, this has become all too apparent as a steady increase of rats are flooding the city and infesting homes. Rats are more than a nuisance; they also play host to a variety of disease that can be transmitted to humans, and can gnaw through a home’s wiring system creating a fire hazard. If rats enter your home, you and your family could be in serious harm, and their immediate removal should be of the utmost importance. In order to ensure your family is safe, follow these simple tips to prevent and treat rats in your home.
What is Causing This Increase?
Rats may be naturally drawn to large, urban environments, but the current population boom in Toronto has many people wondering what has lead to this epidemic. One of the most prevalent theories is the current green movement in the city. Most residents have adapted a more eco-friendly lifestyle and are beginning to reintroduce green spaces onto their property. Although this is very beneficial to the environment and can make your home look more appealing, it also encourages rats to take a nest near your home. With the increase in shelter and access to viable food sources, rats are flooding neighborhoods that once were pest free.
Prevent Rats without Compromising Your Eco-Friendly Lifestyle
Just because eco-friendly living encourages rats does not mean you should ditch your new lifestyle. Introducing more green space into your home and garden encourages birds, butterflies, and a variety of beneficial bugs that are all welcomed additions, let alone the beneficial impact it has on the environment. In order to prevent rats from infesting your home and garden without compromising your green lifestyle, here are some simple tips you can follow.
Eliminate Sources of Food
One of the key reasons rats infest a home or garden is in search of a viable food source. With the increase in eco-friendly living, residents in Toronto are growing food and adding fruit-bearing trees into their yards. In order to prevent rats in your home or garden, be sure to eliminate rats’ access to these food sources. If you have introduced more fruit-bearing trees to your yard, pick up fallen fruit on a regularly. Also make sure vegetable gardens are protected with a wire barrier that rats cannot chew through. Finally, secure all trash that contains food scraps and have them removed as often as possible.
Secure Composters
Introducing a compost system into your home is great for your garden and the environment, but it can also be a welcoming mat for invasive rodents. In order to prevent rats from infesting your compost bin, make sure it is tightly secured between uses and made of a material that rats cannot chew through. You may also consider reducing the amount of food you put in the compost as leftovers are the primary reason rats look to infest a compost bin.
Use Ultrasound Devices
If you are trying to live a more eco-friendly lifestyle, the last thing you want to do is use poison baits or inhumane traps to kill rats. Instead, place a few ultrasound devices throughout your property to keep invasive rats at bay. These small boxes release ultrasonic sound waves that are beyond the hearing range of humans, cats, and dogs, but still audible to rats. These devices are not full-proof, and some rats may tolerate the noise if their is a prevalent food source in the area, but they are a great way to persuade rats to skip your yard in search of a more peaceful nesting area.
Clean Areas around Bird Feeders and Bird Baths
Birds are a welcomed addition to any garden, and a great way to encourage them to reside in your yard is to incorporate bird feeders and bird baths on your property. However, with easy access to food and water in your garden, rats will also be encouraged to reside there, as well. Although there is no full proof way to keep rats away from these new additions, keeping the areas clean around bird feeders and bird baths will do a great deal to prevent them from taking nest on your property. Rats are easily frightened and are constantly seeking shelter form predators. If these areas are dirty, rats will be able to hide near food and water sources without detection, and an infestation will soon follow.
Although there are no sure fired methods to keep rats away, you can still make significant strides in their prevention by incorporating these simple tips into your new green living space. The best way to keep your family safe is to proactively inspect the premises of your home for the presence of rats. If you notice any holes in your home’s foundation, gnaw marks on trash or compost bins, or rat droppings on your property, it is recommended to have your home treated for rats immediately. Eco-friendly living may bring many benefits to your home and the environment, but it can also encourage unwanted guests to reside in or near your home. Take the necessary preventative steps to keep rats out, and you can enjoy your new green space in peace.