Although rats generally avoid contact with people, urban areas provide excellent habitats for rats to survive. Rats prefer damp environments and often burrow and nest underground near building foundations, and in garbage and wood piles.
It is widely known that rats carry disease, which can pose a health concern when they enter living spaces. The Norway rat, common in Halton region, can contaminate our drinking water and food sources with their urine and/or droppings, causing illness to us and our families.
Identification
- Larger than mice
- Can weigh up to 0.5 kg (1 lb)
- Preferred foods include cereal grains, meat, fish, nuts and some fruits
Inspect your property
Look for the following signs of a rat infestation. Rats can fit through a hole the size of a quarter. Rat proof your home by eliminating potential entry points:
- Live sightings
- Chewed or damaged items
- Droppings
- Tracks
- Burrows or holes in the ground around foundations
Rat-proof your home
Rats can fit through a hole the size of a quarter. Rat proof your home by eliminating potential entry points:
- Fix cracks in the foundation
- Use metal weather stripping under doors
- Stuff steel wool around pipes before caulking or plastering
- Cover dryer vents, attic vents, or soffits with fine mesh metal screening
Make home less welcoming
Eliminate Food and Water Sources:
- Remove garbage and compost from inside the home
- Ensure garbage and green cart lids are tightly secured
- Use a rodent-proof bin for backyard composters
- Do not compost fatty or oily foods, eggs, or milk products
- Clean up spilled seeds under bird feeders
- Remove your bird feeder if you have a rodent problem
- Eliminate water sources such as leaky taps, bird baths, and standing water
- Keep your kitchen clean
- Store dry food and pet food in sealed containers
Eliminate Shelter and Nesting Sites:
- Cut tall grass and weeds back from your home
- Remove clutter from around the home, shed, and garage
- Keep woodpiles away from the home and raise them 12 inches off the ground
Rat control
You may choose to hire a licensed pest control company due to the challenging nature of rat eradication. A number of physical and chemical control options are available to homeowners.
The safest and most effective method for controlling rat populations is trapping, however a number of chemical products exist as well.
Physical Control
- Snap traps
- Electronic traps
- Live traps
- Glue traps
- Ultrasonic devices
Chemical Control
- Poisoned baits
- Anticoagulant rodenticides (prevent clotting of blood)
- Non-anticoagulant poisons
Note: Ultrasonic devices create sound waves that rats dislike. Use these devices in addition to other methods as rats can adapt to them.
Safe cleanup
Always use caution and practice safe cleanup procedures:
- Open windows for fresh air
- Wear protective gloves and a dust mask
- Dampen droppings and debris with a solution of bleach and water before wiping up (never sweep or vacuum dry droppings)
- Double bag dead rats in plastic bags before placing them in the garbage
- Disinfect items and surfaces that may have been in contact with rats and their droppings
- Wash hands and exposed clothing thoroughly after cleanup
This web page was developed using content from Health Canada’s Rats and Mice webpage.