When you’re searching for signs of rat infestations, it pays to be thorough and look for rat’s nests. Rat nests are usually small balls of soft materials, which can be found throughout your home but most commonly in your attic or inside wall cavities.
Rats nest throughout the year, but they’re most commonly found in homes throughout the colder months when they need to find somewhere to shelter from the elements. If you think you see a rat’s nest but aren’t sure, here is our guide to identifying and dealing with them.
Rat Nesting Behaviours
Rats build nests for sleeping and breeding, and both male and female rats will build nests. Where they build their nests depends on the type of rat you’re dealing with. The brown rat usually likes to live in underground burrows, so brown rats will usually dig holes outside or sleep in cellars or wall cavities. These rat burrows can be under your home and cause issues, so even if the rats aren’t nesting in your property, that doesn’t mean that they can’t enter it and cause problems.
The black rat is also known as the roof rat because they like to be high up. Roof rats build nests high off the ground, usually in your loft space. These rats tend to like quiet spaces, so between rafters or in the eaves is where you will usually see a roof rat nest.
Either species of rats will build nests away from humans and pets, so check unused areas and if you notice holes in cavity walls then you might find a rat’s nest behind them.
Rats will usually share nests with their young, but you might also find some female rats sharing a nest to collectively raise their pups. For lone rats or males, you might find just one rat in the nest.
Whether you’re clearing out your attic and spot a pile of misshapen material or you’re working in the garden and see an unknown hole, if you think you see signs of a rat’s nest, then you definitely have a rat infestation and need professional pest control services.
What A Rat Nest Might Look Like
Every rat’s nest is different, depending on the species, where they build their nest and the nesting materials they have available.
Generally, a rat’s nest is a collection of soft materials, such as straw, hay, grass, fabric, loft insulation, cardboard, feathers and other items found in the area. They’ll even use rubbish, as evidenced by the above photo, where rats have used chocolate coin wrappers in their nest.
These items are woven together in a roughly circular shape, similar to a bird’s nest. In the middle, you will find a depression where the rats have slept or given birth, and you might find baby rats inside in some cases.
Rat Nests VS Mouse Nests
Rats and mice are the two most common indoor rodents that you’ll find in the UK, and their nests look relatively similar. Some differences include:
- Size: Rat’s nests are usually much larger than mice nests because rats are bigger than mice and tend to have more pups per litter.
- Shape: Mice nests tend to be less defined and more just piles of material, while rats construct their nests to give them a shape.
- Materials: Mice prefer softer materials for their nests, whereas rats will use coarse, more sturdy nesting materials such as cardboard.
- Position: Rats nest in either underground burrows or high places, such as attics, whereas mice prefer enclosed spaces close to their food sources, such as kitchen cupboards or pantries.
Other Signs Of Rat Activity
If you don’t find a rat’s nest, that doesn’t necessarily mean you don’t have a rat infestation in your home. Other signs of rats include:
- Sightings: While rats are nocturnal and neophobic, meaning they’re terrified of new objects, rats can sometimes run in sight of humans if they’re looking for food.
- Rat Droppings: Rat droppings are dark brown, around 1-2cm in length and tapered at the ends.
- Gnaw Marks: Because their incisors don’t have roots, these teeth are constantly growing, meaning rats chew all the time and might leave marks on furniture and solid structures in your home.
- Grease Stains: You might see grease marks on your walls and skirting boards where rats have brushed against them.
- Scurrying Sounds: Rats move fast and often at night, so you might hear scurrying sounds while you’re trying to sleep.
- Foul Smells: A large rat infestation will produce a distinctive, musky smell, usually most prominent near where rats build nests.
Why You Should Never Disturb A Rat’s Nest
If you find a rat nest, it’s important that you don’t disturb it or try to remove it without the help of a professional pest control company.
Any rats that are in or near the nest can become aggressive if disturbed, particularly if there are pups or young rats in the nest. Aggressive rats have a painful bite, and they carry diseases that can spread to humans, so you could put your health at risk by disturbing their nest.
It can be difficult to tell if rat nests are empty, especially if they’re very deep, and if a rat is sleeping far down inside its nest then waking it up could make it angry and more likely to bite.
Even if the rat’s nest is definitely empty, you run the risk of coming into contact with rat droppings and urine, which can also spread disease. As such, you should never disturb a rat’s nest if you find one in your home.
What To Do If You Find A Rat’s Nest
Finding a rat’s nest in your home can be incredibly distressing, and it’s understandable that you’d want to get rid of it as soon as possible. Still, it’s important that you remove the nest safely and don’t endanger yourself or others.
That’s why rat nest removal should only be carried out by professionals like the team at Pest-Tech. Operating across Maidstone and Kent, we offer expert rat control services to keep homes and businesses safe.
Once the nest has been removed and the infestation is gone, we can also provide crucial prevention measures, such as blocking rat holes and installing rat proof mesh onto air vents, to rodent proof your property and ensure that rats can’t come back. Call 01622 296055 to get in touch and find out how we can eradicate your rat problem for good.