Rats have some admirable qualities, such as high intelligence and resourcefulness. Nevertheless, having them in your kitchen is a frightening scenario because of the destruction they can cause and the diseases they can spread. Like other rodents, rats have teeth that never stop growing, meaning that they gnaw compulsively to file them down. Using their teeth, they can put holes in walls and destroy kitchen furniture. They can also chew on pipes, wires, and other utility lines inside your walls, all of which provide ample reasons to call wildlife control in Okanagan to address the problem.

You could be attracting rats to your kitchen without realizing it. Here are some things that attract them and what you can do to avoid inadvertently inviting them in.

Water Sources

All living things need water, and rats are no exception. Like most animals, rats can go without food longer than they can go without water. A source of hydration that is consistently available may draw them as nothing else can. If you fix any leaky faucets and tighten any loose pipes, you can avoid drawing rats to your kitchen and also prevent costly water damage.

Figuring out how to get rid of rats requires a different strategy if you already have an infestation. Rats are known to chew holes in plumbing pipes, especially those made of plastic that is less sturdy than metal pipes. In this situation, you may want to provide rats with another source of water temporarily until rat removal can take place to prevent them from damaging your pipes.

Food

After water, food is probably the main thing that is attracting rats to your kitchen. Rats are omnivorous, meaning that they eat both plant and animal matter. Any food that you leave out in your kitchen may attract them, whether that means food that you store on the counter or crumbs that you fail to clean off the counter or the floor.

It is not only food left out in the open that may attract rats. Rodents can squeeze through very small holes and may be able to make their way into your cabinets or pantry. You can avoid attracting rats to your kitchen by keeping it clean and storing food in containers made of metal or glass that rats cannot chew through easily.

Open Trash Cans

Rats aren’t picky about what they eat. They are scavengers that will take what they can get to eat regardless of whether or not it is fresh. Even if your kitchen is clean and your food safely stored, rats may be drawn to your trash can if it is open to the air. You may be able to prevent this by using a trash can in the kitchen with a lid that closes. A cover helps to contain the odours that the trash gives off that may attract rats. It also makes it harder for rats to get inside. Rats are opportunistic, so if getting into your garbage poses too much of a challenge, they may move on to look for food that is easier to get.

It may be beneficial to find a trash can with a lid that closes automatically on its own or one with a lid that opens with a lever near the ground that you step on. In addition to helping you keep rats out of your garbage, this can help prevent the spread of germs because your hands do not come in contact with the lid of the can.

Call Skedaddle for Wildlife Control in Okanagan

Our technicians effectively remove rats from your home without harming them and prevent them from coming back. Rat removal is more difficult with a larger infestation, so contact us for help at the first sign of rats in your home.