For thousands of years rats have been causing problems for human beings all throughout the globe. Whether you are talking about the way that they spread disease in Florida or simply how they destroy your Fort Myers home or furnishings, rats have been the source of many suffering from the pesky vermin.

If you have had rats before and are worried you may get them again, or if you simply want to ensure that they do not make your home their home, there are many things you can do to keep them away. If you live in a densely populated area or near a farm you should be aware that rats are very likely living closer to your house or apartment than you imagine. If you are looking to keep them away, here are some tips you can follow.



The first thing to do is to fix ways that a rat can get into your home. Many will talk about fencing and grand ideas like this, but a rat is a rather small creature, meaning it can easily sneak into a whole lot of places. A whole lot more places than you thought it could get into. If it can find a way in then there is a good likelihood that others came along with it. These are communal animals, and so if one has found a good place then the others will think so as well.

By closing up cracks, sealing holes, making sure that there are no small entrances to your Fort Myers home, shed or garage, you can keep the rats out and make your home a lot more work for them to figure out how to get into. When the rats find it hard to get in they don’t fight to keep trying. They move on. This is what you are looking for.

The move on theory is a solid one, with one exception. If you leave things that can be inviting to a rat they will keep coming and they will try to get in at some point. Most common problems that occur are garbage. A lot of people store their garbage in a can in the garage. If the can is not closed properly or if small bits of food are dropped on the ground; the rat is going to find that a good source of food. Once he or she has determined that food was available once it will keep coming back believing there will be more in the future. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that when it returns it brings friends. Your garage becomes the newest party place in town.

Remove sources of food to the rat. This includes such things as bird feeders. These are great devices to help our feathered Florida friends stay healthy, but if you have been around a bird feeder you are aware that Fort Myers birds are not the cleanest of eaters. They kick seeds and debris all over the ground; a perfect meal for a rat in Florida. Before long there are four or five, then ten. Then a whole community is not only coming for the food they are seeing it as a bed and breakfast and making a home out of your Fort Myers home. You may need to take down your bird feeder to keep the rats away.

Rat repellants are particularly effective at keeping these varmints away. There are many exceptional commercial brands that you can buy that can do the trick. They are built to not only keep rats away, but to do so for a long time. You simply place the repellant along the outside of the walls of your Florida home, garage, barn or shed and this can help you to keep them away.

You can also keep them away by using your own homemade repellants and can work just as well. The basis of these repellants needs to be around something that is either too hot for them to be able to eat (hot as in spicy) or it will cause them to suffer for doing so. Some of the best homemade remedies are made with either castor oil or with tabasco sauce, or with both. You can mix the two as well, causing them to have a burning tongue and a burning other end as well.

If you are finding that the rats are just unwilling to stay away from your Florida home, you may want to consider the idea of “if you can’t beat them, joining them.” If you have a large property, you may want to consider setting up some kind of feeder far from your home where you put a bunch of seed on a regular basis. If you leave a trail to the feeder, one will find it eventually and he will lead the rest there. This will cause them to go for the feeder and ignore your home.

To learn more about our services, visit the Fort Myers wildlife removal home page.