As temperatures drop and outdoor food sources become scarcer, rats instinctively look for warmth and refuge indoors. Yet, before they gain access to homes, it's the garden where they initially establish themselves.
Late summer and early autumn represent critical times for rodent behaviour. Gardens frequently offer straightforward access to food, water, and shelter, rendering them appealing habitats for rats.
Natural methods to deter rats
The positive news is that there are numerous natural, practical, and humane approaches to eliminate rats in the garden and prevent them from accessing your property. One method that's advised by pest specialists to discourage rats is steel wool, though metal scourers typically used for washing up can serve as an alternative.
Specialists at Positive Pest Management pointed out that scouring pads function to "keep them away" as they obstruct entry points to the garden and home.
Identifying signs of rats
Identifying the indicators of rats early provides you with the greatest opportunity of removing them before they breed or inflict any substantial damage.
The initial step is to search for small holes in the earth that measure approximately five to 10cm across and feature smooth edges. Burrows can typically be discovered around the foundations of sheds, decking, or along walls and fences, and may have loose earth surrounding them. While rats do burrow, they will also construct surface nests, particularly for raising their young. These nests are typically fashioned from twigs, leaves, and grass, but can also be built using man-made materials such as shredded cardboard, insulation, or paper.
Rat droppings are another telltale sign of these unwanted visitors. They are dark brown to black in colour and shaped like a grain of rice, usually around one to 2cm in length, and found in clusters. They are larger than mouse droppings and darker than those left by squirrels, which helps to tell them apart. You may also notice gnaw marks on wooden sheds, plastic bin lids, garden tools, plant pots, hoses, and even concrete or brick.
Using scourers to block entry points
Once a rat problem has been identified, the next step is to tackle it directly, and one effective method involves washing-up scourers. Pest control professionals recommend blocking entry points to the garden and home with scouring pads. These locations include gaps in fencing, the ends of rat burrows, and spaces between the home's foundations and the ground.
The experts said, "By filling the gaps and other rat entry points with scouring pads, rats will have a hard time chewing through the material." This is because the material gets stuck in their teeth, making it difficult for them to move or chew.
Pest experts at Rentokil also hail scourers as a "great option" that has proven to be "effective in keeping rats away" because they are unable to chew through the tough material.
