If you have spotted rats or mice scurrying through your kitchen floor, you might have wondered what attracted these whiskered intruders.
Your home can quietly offer the right blend of comfort and resources that rats and mice find irresistible. When the seasons change and the outdoor conditions become less hospitable, warm spaces with easy access to food and hidden areas to nest can suddenly seem very attractive. Gaps and openings offer secret entryways, clutter, and pet food that can send unintentional invitations to these furry invaders.
In many ways, your home can provide rats and mice with what the outside world can’t always guarantee.
Rats and mice need food
The primary reason rats and mice are attracted to your home is food. Having a diverse diet, rats and mice will eat almost anything. Rodents often find food in kitchens pantries, garbage bins and in unsealed food containers. Crumbs on the floor, and pet food are also common culprits.
To protect your home from these unwanted guests, you must be alert and deprive rats and mice of the opportunity to find readily available food.
Unsealed food containers
Your kitchen and pantry can be an easy target for rats and mice. They are particularly drawn to carbohydrates but will try to find any food. To prevent attracting these pests, tightly seal all your food containers. Pay special attention to grains, seeds, and nuts, as these are natural food sources for rodents.
Garbage bins
Garbage bins are magnets for rats and mice, especially when containing kitchen waste. Keep food scraps and other kitchen debris in closed bins to prevent these rodents from accessing them.
To minimize this risk, regularly remove indoor garbage and keep it in closed outdoor bins as far from your house as possible.
Pet food
Pet food contains a lot of fat and protein, which are two of the key nutrients that rats and mice need to survive. In addition, pet food is often left out in the open, which makes it easy for rats and mice to get access to it. For that reason, leave pet food out only during feeding times and avoid feeding your pets in areas where you cannot easily clean up bits and pieces left behind, as this will draw rodents closer to your home. When storing pet food, keep it in closed containers to prevent rodents from finding it.
Crumbs on the floor
Crumbs on the floor are an easy target for rats and mice, providing them with a steady sustenance supply. Even minute bits of food can attract these pests, as their keen sense of smell helps them quickly find the tiniest food particles. Cleaning regularly and proper food storage can help reduce the attraction of pests.
Fruit trees and vegetables
Fruit trees in gardens are a significant lure. Regularly remove fallen fruit and nuts to discourage rodent activity. Garden vegetables also provide an additional food source for these pests.
Compost bins
Compost bins can be a great assortment and a steady food supply for rodents. Rats and mice are attracted to the abundant food source that decomposing organic materials provide. When fruits, vegetables, and other kitchen waste are left exposed in a compost bin, they emit enticing odours that can easily lure rodents from nearby areas looking for a meal.
Rats and mice seek warmth and shelter
The other main reason for rats and mice to move indoors is the need for warmth and shelter. Your home offers an ideal sanctuary from cold and wet weather conditions outdoors. During winter, when temperatures drop, the warmth of indoor environments becomes particularly appealing. Your home’s insulated walls and roof space area create a warm environment for rats and mice to thrive.
Dimly lit environments
Rats and mice are nocturnal creatures that feel most comfortable in dimly lit environments that mimic their natural habitat. They are remarkably adaptable and can make themselves comfortable in various spaces throughout your home. Attics provide quiet, undisturbed areas perfect for nesting. Wall cavities offer protected pathways for travel, while basements, with their stable temperatures and typically lower human traffic, create ideal living conditions.
Messy, disorganized areas
Rats and mice thrive in cluttered environments. Messy, disorganized areas provide them with numerous hiding spots and materials for building nests. You’ll often find evidence of their activity in basements, garages, under the floor, and roof space areas. These areas tend to accumulate clutter and are less frequently disturbed. Even the space behind kitchen appliances can serve as a convenient dwelling place, combining warmth from the appliance with proximity to food sources.
Materials for building nests
Rats and mice are especially attracted to homes with abundant materials for building nests, such as paper, cardboard, fabric scraps, and insulation in dark areas. These secure hiding spots are often out of reach for larger predators, making your home an ideal environment.
Rats and mice look for water
Just like any living creature, rats and mice look for water. Limiting water availability can make your home less inviting and appealing to rodents.
Leaky pipes
Leaky pipes and taps are like a welcome mat for rats and mice. You may draw these pests into your home if you have a water leak or a dripping garden tap. Rodents are particularly drawn to water leaks under the house, as these provide a steady source of moisture and shelter.
Standing water
Having standing water around your house can also attract rats and mice. Pooling water under the floor, garden ponds, puddles, and even clogged gutters.
How Rats and Mice Get Into Your House
Gaps and openings
Rats and mice are incredibly resourceful creatures with remarkable abilities to squeeze through tiny openings. They are well adept at exploiting small openings in your home’s structure. A mouse needs only a quarter-inch gap to gain entry, while rats can compress their bodies to fit through holes as small as half an inch. These rodents typically exploit existing vulnerabilities in your home’s exterior.
Gaps under doors are prime entry points, especially those with worn-out weather stripping. Small spaces at the bottom of your garage door can also be an open invitation. Similarly, windows with damaged screens or those left partially open provide easy access for these unwanted guests.
Utility penetration
Your home’s various utility connections create natural pathways for rodents. Pipe penetrations, where plumbing, gas lines, or electrical wiring enter your home, often have gaps around them that rodents can exploit. Roof vents, chimney openings, and exhaust fans can also create potential entry points if not properly sealed or screened.
Damaged roof areas are particularly attractive to rodents. Missing shingles, deteriorated soffits, or gaps in roof returns can allow mice and rats to climb into attic spaces, where they often establish nests undisturbed for long periods.
Climbing and jumping abilities
Underestimating rodents’ physical capabilities is a common mistake. Rats are excellent climbers that can easily scale rough vertical surfaces like brick walls or tree trunks. They can jump horizontally up to four feet and vertically about three feet. Mice are even more agile and capable of jumping up to a foot high despite their small size.
These abilities mean that branches overhanging your roof, utility lines connected to your home, or even tall shrubs planted close to your foundation can serve as bridges for rodents to access upper portions of your house.
Need professional help?
By reducing the availability of food, water and shelter, you can significantly minimize the chances of a rat and mouse problem. However, to ensure your home is free of rodents, you can seek help from our professional rat and mouse exterminators. We are equipped with the knowledge and tools to assess the extent of infestation and implement effective control measures.
