You may not think that having rats on your property is a problem because they are not inside your house, but the unfortunate reality is that there is a high probability of encountering a rodent infestation if the animals live freely on your property. Keeping rats away from your vegetable garden can be a daunting challenge, but it is an important strategy for keeping them from entering your home.

Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control is here to help you with preventative strategies to keep rats out of your garden. We can also help with rat removal if you find a rodent inside your home. These five strategies can help you protect your property from a rat infestation.

1. Maintain Trees To Avoid Needing Rat Removal

Rats often enter gardens by climbing over fences using low-hanging tree branches. You can deter rodents by properly maintaining the trees on your property. Trim back branches to keep rats from using them as highways. You should also collect and discard fallen fruit to prevent the rats from accessing an easy food source.

2. Install Fencing

Like other types of wildlife, rats often enter gardens to feast on the vegetables and fruits they find inside. Erecting a fence around the perimeter of your garden is one of the best ways to deter all types of wildlife, including rats. Remember that rodents can squeeze through small holes, so wire and chain-link fencing is not always effective for keeping rats out of the garden. Opt for a wooden fence that has no holes in the exterior if you want to prevent rats from feasting on your garden vegetables.

3. Mow Your Lawn Regularly

Rats prefer to avoid interactions with humans. They like to hide on properties with tall grass to avoid being seen by people and predators. If you maintain your yard and mow the yard frequently to keep it from getting tall, you eliminate many of the spaces rodents use as hiding spots.

4. Move Compost Bins Away From Your House

Rats are notorious scavengers, so they take up residence on any property that offers an abundance of food. Vegetables from your garden are an easy food source, but they don’t give rodents a balanced diet. If rats can also get into your trash where they can feast on leftover scraps that provide them with fat and protein, they are unlikely to leave your property unless you call a professional for help.

You should always keep your trash tightly secured in bags. Your garbage bins should all have tight-fitting lids, and investing in a latch is also a good idea if you are desperate to keep rats out. If the rodents can’t access any other type of food besides the vegetables in your garden, they will move in to find an easier source of a diet that offers all of the nutrients they need.

5. Check for Potential Entry Points

Rats may look too large to fit through small cracks in the exterior of your house, but they are capable of squeezing through holes the size of a quarter in diameter. Any crevice in your home’s exterior, particularly the ones around windows and door frames, can grant rats entry to your house. Inspect the exterior regularly and seal all cracks you find with foam insulation spray or caulk to seal potential points of entry.

Hire a Professional for Rat Removal

If rats live in or near your garden. they are more likely to enter your home. Making your property an unsuitable environment for rats to thrive is the best way to deter them from your house. The professionals at Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control know what it takes to keep rodents off your property, and if you’re already dealing with an infestation, we can also help with rat removal. Contact us today to book an appointment for wildlife control in Madison.