Is There a Humane Way to Get Rid of Rats?

March 15, 2023   |   Rodents

Do you have rats in your house that you want out now? We get it. The thought of rats living in your safe space can make your skin crawl. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean that you want them tortured. It just means that you want them to leave and stay out of your home, especially if you want to avoid diseases spread by rats to humans. If you’ve been trying to figure out how to get rid of rats in a humane way, you’ve come to the right place. This blog will go into detail about wildlife removal for rats without using rat poison so that you can get them out of your house and yard—and keep them away.

How to Get Rid of Rats Outside

One humane way to get rid of rats outside is by introducing their natural predators into your backyard. For example, you could adopt an outdoor cat or install an owl nesting box to attract owls to your yard. These predators will scare rats away.

You can also make it more difficult for rats to scamper through your yard by filling in their burrows, which are typically holes in the ground a few inches wide. Simply place soil as far inside of them as you can and then press it down with a shovel. After you compact the soil, you might have to add more soil on top to make the ground level again. Doing so will make the earth in your yard firmer and harder for rats to burrow through.

You may also elect to add repellents to your yard to drive rats out. For example, placing wind chimes or whirligigs will make noises that can scare rats and other critters away. You can also grow plants in your yard that emit an odor that repels rats. Such plants include:

• Black pepper
• Catnip
• Chrysanthemums
• Daffodils
• Garlic
• Lavender
• Marigolds
• Onions
• Rosemary
• Tomatoes

Note that some of these plants are toxic to pets, so do not use the plant method if you have any that roam around outside. If these strategies don’t work and the rats get into your house, there are extra steps you’ll need to take to get them out.\

How to Get Rid of Rats in Your House Fast

Like with your outdoor space, introducing a natural rat predator into your home can help encourage rats to leave your house. Adopting a cat will do the job. Not a cat person? No worries! There are other steps you can take, like cleaning out any clutter in your home, especially near walls, to reduce potential hiding spots. Also, put your food in sealed containers to eliminate the rats’ food sources within your home. Cleaning up any messes after snacking or meals helps, too.

You can use repellents inside your home, too. For example, rats hate the smell of mint oil. Put some of this oil on cotton balls around your home, particularly near areas where you think the rats spend the most time or enter your house. Just make sure to change out the cotton balls every few days for the best results.

If you try these methods and still can’t get those pests out of your house, call a pest control company like Turner Pest Control. Once the rats leave your yard or home, you’ll want to make sure to keep them away. There are a few steps you can take to do that.

How Do You Humanely Keep Rats Away?

To humanely keep rats away from your yard and house, start by cleaning up those spaces. For example, you could:

• Sweep up food particles inside your house.
• Pick up any that might fall on the ground during a cookout on the outside.
• Place all trash or debris in a secure trash can once you’re done with it.
• Wait as late as you can to put trash cans on the curb before garbage trucks arrive to pick up trash. Do not leave your cans out overnight.
• If you have pets, keep their food in sealed, chew-proof containers so that it doesn’t attract rats to your yard.

Cleaning up doesn’t only refer to picking up trash and food scraps, but also to pulling up weeds and maintaining your yard. Rats like having places to hide, so if your grass is short and shrubs trimmed back, you’ll remove some of their common hiding spaces.

You’ll also want to close up any spaces where rats might be entering your home or shed. Close doors when not in use, and make sure windows have screens on them. Also repair holes in siding, doors, or your foundation. This process is called exclusion and is offered by pest control experts like Turner Pest Control.

Call Turner Pest Control: It’s the Best Way to Get Rid of Rats Fast

If you live in Florida, turn to Turner Pest Control for your rat problem. Our SMART Pest Control plan is unlike any other rodent control on the market right now. Here’s how it works:

1. We inspect your home and look over any blueprints of your home you might have to determine where rats are most likely entering and traveling through your home.
2. We create a customized rat control plan that fits your situation.
3. We install humane, non-toxic traps and smart devices around your home that detect rats through heat and motion sensors.
4. We monitor these devices 24/7 and empty and relocate traps as needed.