Why Are Rats Under Your Shed?

Bristol Rat Control 0117 369 9909

Rats are among the most noticeable rodents in our gardens, not least because they are among the largest and require a good supply of both food and water in order to thrive.

Our Bristol rat control service is regularly called upon to investigate rat problems in people's gardens which are usually a result of a few common factors.

5 Common Reasons Your Garden Shed Has Rats

1. Feeding birds with loose or mixed feed - Bird feeders are commonly associated with rats because so much feed gets spilt onto the floor. This can be reduced simply by ensuring that each feeder contains only one kind of seed. When using the mixed seed in bird feeders, birds will peck out the seed they don't like, depositing it on the floor and eat only those seeds it prefers.
2. Animal feed available from pets like rabbits and chickens - The smell of food in feeding bowls provides great encouragement to foraging rats and mice. It's also very common for enclosures to be built using chicken wire that is large enough to allow mice and juvenile rats to pass through into the animal enclosures uninhibited.
3. Compost bins that are well stocked and lack a solid base - Compost bins offer rats a place to nest that is heated by its decomposing contents all year round and has a regular supply of food available fresh from your kitchen. Starchy foods like potatoes are a popular meal for an overwintering rat. Most compost bins don't have a base in them, so we need to create one that the rats can't penetrate. This is a simple process and can be done with patio slabs and some wire mesh. 
4. Damaged drains and drain inspection covers - Faulty sewers and especially broken inspection chamber covers allow rats to reach the surface and your garden unhindered. The sudden appearance or presence of holes near to, or next to drain covers are ideal for rodents to surface into your garden.
5. Large quantities of stored or abandoned rubbish/waste - Rats are quite vulnerable to the effects of low food supply and harsh winter conditions, but where there is shelter (your shed), they can thrive in the most extreme conditions. Any time large deposits of waste are left sitting around for long periods, rats will exploit this waste for the purposes of feeding and breeding. 

With any food reservoir, there will be a propensity for rodents to make a home nearby. Forget about spiders, bugs, and other natural foods because your drains are a food reservoir. What we put down there in the form of faeces, and plate scrapings etc, is all the food they need. 

Remember that rats do not have a sense of taste, but do possess an excellent sense of smell.

Rats rarely establish themselves under sheds without a good source of food close by. For this important reason, you must always look for "Why They Are There".

Sometimes the cause will be a simple one that is easy to identify, and in other situations, it can prove very difficult.

How To Prevent Rats Under Your Garden Shed

Some simple steps can ensure that you never have a rat problem under your shed. The measures that will help you get rid of rats include:

1. Site your shed on a solid concrete base (they can't dig through this).
2. Surround your shed with a 12 inch wide and six-inch-deep layer of pea shingle/gravel.
3. Raise the base up five inches by placing the base on wooden beams or bricks
4. Solve the original source.

It sounds simple and, well actually it is. But what are the wild card reasons for your problem that will be a far tougher nut to crack?

In many cases, this will be down to your neighbours! The other reason can be your proximity to natural reservoirs of activity like waterways (rivers, streams and canals) and bodies of water (lakes, ponds and ditches).