Rats can often find food in garbage, pet food, and spilled birdseed, which attracts them to backyards. Shelter is another common reason and they like to stay in places like woodpiles and around sheds or decks with open undersides.
Rats are a problem in Chicago, and the most common one around here is the Norway rat. They are ground-oriented burrowers and they tend to settle wherever they can find food or cover.
Garbage is the most common reason why rats come around. They only need a small amount of food, and a bin without a tight lid often provides plenty. Likewise, a lot of Chicago neighborhoods have narrow alleys that make this problem worse. All the food tends to show up in one place, and the alley itself serves as a shelter. Dog waste is another big contributor to rats. It’s a food source for rats, and picking it up quickly makes a big difference.
Other common food sources for rats include birdseed and grass seed. If you have fruit trees that drop fruit in the fall, that’s another common source of food for rats. You’ll want to make sure to store seed in heavy plastic or metal containers and pick up fruit as it falls.
As for shelter, Norway rats burrow so they want soil they can dig with something over it. That something often comes in the form of dense ground cover and ivy or overgrown shrubs. Woodpiles will do the trick too. They also like sheds and decks with open undersides because they can easily hide under them.
To reduce rats, start by securing trash and picking up dog waste. Take bird feeders down at night or use a tray and sweep up the spill. Bring pet food inside. Then thin the landscaping that gives them shelter and move woodpiles onto racks and away from the house. If you have a deck or shed, screen or skirt it with hardware cloth buried several inches into the soil.
If rats are taking over your yard, Mosquito Squad of Chicago can help. Mosquito Squad finds where rats are nesting and getting in, clears them with traps and bait stations, and seals the entry points. Monthly rodent protection is also available through Complete Home & Yard coverage.
