9 Ways of How to Get Rid of Rats from Your Garden

Well, having a beautiful garden can take a lot of effort, and it can be very tiresome. Also, sometimes you have to get rid of unwanted species in order to maintain the beauty of your space. There can be some times when you have questions about these unwanted species. How to get rid of rats is a common question for people who have established gardens. However, these tiny living beings set up their home underground in sheds or greenhouses and compost heaps.

In this article, we have mentioned all the practical and efficient strategies to help give you the right answer to your question, that is, how to get rid of rats. All our strategies will help your garden have a vibrant transformation.

How to Get Rid of Rats

Rats cause a lot of trouble while they stay on your property. Thus, how to get rid of rats is a common question for gardeners and housewives while they are having conversations. Moreover, it is advised to use rat poison in order to get rid of them. But this method is not safe as poison is not advisable near the place where you grow food. However, there are several other methods to find the answer to how to get rid of rats. We have mentioned some of them below.

1. Traps

Rat traps are the most common and old method to get rid of them. Adding small food bait to capture rats has proven to be effective. There are various traps available in the markets for various purposes. Such as:

• Live traps: This type of trap is used when you are unsure what kind of rodent you must deal with. Sometimes it can be moles or some other similar nuisance-creating creature. These traps catch the creature with the help of the food bait; thus, when you should release the captured species into the woods.
• Snap traps: These are sharp traps specially designed to kill rats instantly. They have proven to be sufficient enough to kill the rats when present in a small space. These traps have to be considered successful methods of dealing with rats.
• Electrocution traps: These are expensive types of traps that can help you a lot. These traps come in boxes that produce high voltage shock that can instantly kill rats that come into their contact.

2. Trim the Grass

Keeping your surroundings clean is very necessary. An untidy garden is never the answer to how to get rid of rats as it attracts the pest-carrying species. You need to trim tall grass and overgrown plants as it can create a perfect hiding spot for rats. You should mow your space to put a stop to their intention to build a permanent spot on your ground.

3. Get a Pet

Pets are helpful in many ways. You must be well aware of it. But surprisingly, they are very useful in eliminating these unwanted species. They have a good sense of smell and have very sharp reflexes. Thus they can easily sense rats near them. They can work well as a preventive measure.

4. Plant Your Own Pest Control

There are certain plants that rats can tolerate. Thus, how to get rid of rats is not a very tricky question to be answered, as planting trees or shrubs is an alternative for the one. Rats generally cannot bear lavender or mint. So planting these shrubs in your garden can help to keep these unwanted creatures away.

5. Take Care of The Rubbish Bin

Rats are mostly seen in filthy and dirty places. If your rubbish bins are not packed or closed properly, then this will clearly invite rats into your garden. Moreover, organic waste does not only attract rats but different wildlife creatures.

6. Cut the Water Source

Food and water is the prime need of any organism to live. If you provide both of these things to any wildlife, then they would happily reside at your place. If you want to get rid of rats, then you should cut the source of water. You can remove sprinklers and birdbaths from your lawn. Rats cannot survive without water, leaving any chance other than leaving your garden.

Home Remedies to Get Rid of Rats

Every homemaker and gardener plans to get rid of rats through some home remedies before buying any other equipment. Thus, we have mentioned some effective home remedies to solve your how to get rid of rats query.

1. Instant Potatoes

These instant potatoes can help you a lot while solving your query about how to get rid of rats at home. Just sprinkle the instant potato powder on every corner where you see the frequent movement of rats. Rats will eat the powder, and these flakes will swell up in the intestines of these rodents, which will eventually lead to killing these unwanted creatures.

2. Plaster of Paris With Cocoa Powder

Mixture or POP with Cocoa Powder can surprisingly give you amazing results in getting rid of rats. You need to spread this mixture on your lawn. Once they eat this up, they would eventually run away in search of water and die soon.

3. Ammonia

We have mentioned so many strong-smelling substances, which clearly indicates that rats hate these smelling substances. Thus, ammonia is also a strong-smelling substance and can eventually make these rats run away from your property. Pour ammonia into small bowls and put that bowl near their holes or anywhere they tend to go.

What Invites These Unwanted Guests in Your Garden?

Rats do not have a huge list of requirements for dwelling in your space. All they seek is food, and a garden loaded with fruits and vegetables is the most desired place for these tiny living beings. Also, if your garden provides enough place to hide, then they will love it. They do not seek food that is planted in your garden, but leftover pet foods and grains left outside for birds or constantly opened rubbish bins will attract these tiny creatures. Moreover, if you have a sprinkler in your home, then rats will love it the most.

What Diseases Do These Rats Carry?

It becomes of utmost importance to find the answer to the question of how to get rid of rats. This is because these unwanted creatures not only cause a nuisance to your garden or plants but also are harmful to your health. It does not matter whether these creatures are dangerous or not, but they carry hazardous pests which could lead to a series of serious diseases. Apart from these harmful pests, these rats can also chew on electric cables, which can cause damage to your property.

Moreover, these rats carry various rodent-borne diseases, which include Salmonella, leptospirosis, cryptosporidium, and rat-bite fever. Also, these rats’ droppings, bites, or scratches can have harmful effects on humans and pets.

Signs that You Have Rats in Your Garden

How to get rid of rats is a common question when you see certain unusual circumstances in your garden. However, we have mentioned some signs that indicate that your space has these unwanted guests. If you see these signs, you know the right thing to do.

1. Rat Droppings

This is the most common sign as these organisms tend to drop on the soil frequently as they eat a lot. Also, it is easy to spot because they are oval in shape and looks similar to a large rice grain about 10mm long.

2. Burrows

Since these unwanted guests hide under the soil, thus, rats are well-known for digging holes and making shallow tunnels. Also, you can notice that these burrows are placed close to the food source.

3. Pets Start Behaving Strangely

Pets have a strange sense of knowledge as they can determine that there are unwanted creatures near their property. Cats and dogs will be the first ones to notice if there is any invasion. If you see your pets digging too much or scratching the ground, then you should be alarmed as it is a sign of rats being present on your land.

4. Bite Marks

Rats have sharp pointy teeth that can chew almost anything. Thus, the most common sign that you can find in the garden is the bite marks on leaves and other things placed in the garden. Teeth marks are a massive indication of rats in your space.

Summing It Up

If you have a beautiful garden, you will have to accept that there will be an invasion of pets and these rodent species. A query such as how to get rid of rats is very common, so you don’t have to panic about such issues. In winter, these species have a tendency to invade your properties to hide from the severe cold, and they eventually destroy stuff that you have stored.

However, this article holds all the necessary information, and you need to follow all the tips and tricks to get rid of these nuisance-creating species. Moreover, if you have kids in your house, you need to be extra cautious as these creatures carry so many pests and diseases that can cause severe harm to the infants in the house.

We hope you have found your answer to the query about how to get rid of rats at home.