One of the most frightening and irritating pests you can find in your home or business premises is rats. Whether it’s fuzzy brown rats or sleek black rats, these pests can cause significant property damage, spread diseases and cause distress.
As leading providers of rat control for homes and businesses across Maidstone and Kent, Pest-Tech understands how stressful a rat problem can be, and how much people want to keep them out.
The main reason rats enter a specific premises is to find food, so a simple way to prevent rats is to cut off all potential food sources where possible. That often leads people to wonder: what do rats eat? Keep reading as we explore rat diets in the wild and inside homes.
What Foods Do Wild Rats Eat?
Simply put, the answer to the question ‘what do rats eat?’ is: rats eat almost anything. They’re omnivorous scavengers who eat practically anything. Their diet is influenced by seasons and availability, and may include:
- Fruit And Vegetables: Rats will eat fruits that have fallen from trees or vegetables that grow above the surface, such as leafy greens.
- Nuts And Seeds: Nuts and seeds from trees or other plants are a tasty source of protein for rats and can help the plants to spread further afield.
- Insects: Protein is an important part of a rat’s diet, so they often eat beetles or small insects.
- Grains: Grains such as wheat or corn are useful to rats as they are easily accessible, especially close to harvest time.
What Human Foods Attract Rats?
Rats tend to scavenge, and will eat whatever they can find. As such, when they enter urban environments or houses, they will eat whatever they see. This can often include:
- Dried Grains: Dry products, such as rice, flour and even pasta can be an ideal snack for rats, as they’re often stored in flimsy packaging.
- Food Waste: Items such as peels, skins and leftover fat can be easy pickings for rats, as they’re often left unattended.
- Dairy Products: Rats can eat almost any dairy product, including cheese, butter, milk, and eggs.
- Processed Snacks: Most snacks, such as crisps, chocolates and cakes, are as tasty to rats as they are to humans, and they will steal them if they can.
- Pet Food: While not really a human food, pet food is an easy source of sustenance for rats as it is often stored in large quantities in bins, plastic packaging or cardboard boxes.
- Bird Seed: The seeds used for birds, including sunflower seeds, are enjoyed by rats and can be easily accessible if you have a flimsy bird feeder or just scatter seeds on the ground for birds.
Do Rats Eat Meat?
While their small size means they can’t hunt easily, rats are omnivorous scavengers who will eat meat if it’s available.
Wild rats usually eat insects or dead animals. If they enter your property, they may steal meat scraps, such as bacon rind or bones with a little meat left on them.
What Foods Do Rats Hate?
As mentioned previously, rats aren’t particularly fussy, and will eat almost anything. However, they prefer to avoid pungent or spicy foods, including:
- Peppermint: Rats hate peppermint and will avoid mint plants.
- Garlic And Onions: The smell of onions and garlic is odious to rats and they will avoid them when searching for food.
- Spices And Condiments: Spices such as cayenne pepper, wasabi and others disgust rats, so they don’t eat anything with them in, including chutneys and sauces.
Some gardeners use this knowledge to plant ingredients that rats will hate to deter rats from their gardens. While rats don’t like these foods, they are determined, so they will usually just avoid them and still enter your space anyway. Read our guide on How To Get Rid Of Rats In Gardens.
What Can You Do If You Have A Rat Infestation?
Even the most careful homeowners and property managers can get rat infestations. These flexible rodents will get inside properties through gaps as small as 12mm, and once inside, they will search for food and shelter.
If they can’t find food easily, they will eat food waste or scavenge elsewhere. So, keeping food in airtight containers isn’t enough to stop pest rats.
Thankfully, Pest-Tech is here for homes and businesses across Kent that are dealing with a rat problem. Our team can also provide pest control solutions for other rodents, insects and birds, including mice, squirrels, ants, bed bugs, fleas and more.
As soon as you see signs of rat activity, it’s crucial that you act fast. Rats can cause significant property damage and pose a health hazard, so contact us on 01622 296055 or by emailing admin@pest-tech.org to start your rat control treatment as soon as possible.