Are you tired of finding rat holes in your garden week in week out? Well, it’s time to put a stop to this problem by stopping these stubborn creatures from accessing their entry and exit points. They are dangerous creatures as they can transmit diseases to humans by contaminating the food, leaving their feces around, or by biting and scratching humans, which is why they should be prevented from accessing their holes.
Depending on the size of the hole, the best way of filling rat holes are using concrete, steel wool, caulking compound and copper wire mesh. Prevention is better than cure so keeping rats from appearing in your garden should be top priority.
Fill Rat Holes in Garden
Various methods can be used to seal off rat holes. These ways are quick and inexpensive. Anyone can fill these holes in their garden with the right materials. Some of these ways involve the use of the following materials.
· Concrete
Pouring dry or wet concrete down the opening will make it tough for the rat to dig an opening again through the ground. People usually go with this approach because anyone can find either wet or dry concrete lying around somewhere in their house. This is a quick and easy fix but is not considered very reliable when compared to other methods.
· Steel Wool
One of the most effective materials to fill a rat hole in your garden is steel wool. Rats can chew almost anything, even concrete, but steel wool is a material that they don’t like to put their teeth on. Steel wool is cheap and can be found anywhere. The best thing about it is that there is no particular kind of wool that is recommended. All you have to do is head down to your local store, and you’re ready to fill the rat holes in your garden. One downside about it is that they might drag it out of the way if they can’t chew through.
· Caulking Compound
Caulking compound is a piece of cake for rats to chew through, which is why it is mostly mixed with steel wool, so the rats can neither chew through the caulking compound, nor the can drag the steel wool.
· Copper Wire Mesh
The copper wire mesh is also used in place of steel wool. These are mostly used because they come with a peppermint spray which is sprayed on the wire after filling the hole. The scent of peppermint spray keeps them from approaching the wire.
How to Get Rid Of Rats
These materials are used to fill the rat holes, and it is recommended to recheck the holes after 2-3 days of filling them. However, filling a rat hole in your garden shouldn’t be your only concern because a dead rat in a trapped hole can cause an unpleasant odor.
To avoid this inconvenience, here are some effective measures that can be taken to get rid of them entirely.
· Traps
This is one of the oldest tricks in the book, and as unorthodox it may seem, it is one of the effective ones. All you have to do is set up the trap near a burrow consisting of nuts, bread crumbs, or peanut butter. The only downside of a trap is that you have to wait a few days to bait the mouse.
· Pump Water
Another classic way of evicting them from their burrows is by flooding the holes with high-pressure water and then kill them with a stick or shovel when they come out from the other end.
· Baking soda
Baking soda can be mixed with something sweet like sugar or chocolate and kept outside the burrows. The scent of the sweet stuff will attract rats and kill them as soon as they eat it.
· Rat poison
Although many people don’t consider this approach humane, it is still the quickest and most effective way to get rid of rats. This poison is made up of food that rats like to eat and kills them instantly.
Keep Rats Away From Holes
Some people cannot make peace with the idea of killing these creatures and look for a less violent way to make them go away. This brings us to the fact that a rat hole is not only filled with materials to seal them off but also with things that make them run away. These methods for repelling rats from their holes include.
· Cat Litter
Cat litter can deter rats from coming nearby, cat litter can be dropped into burrows, and its scent can make rats scatter.
· Castor oil/ Peppermint oil
Cotton balls are dipped into peppermint oil or castor oil and dropped into burrows. These creatures cannot stand the pungent smell of these oils.
· Mothballs
Mothballs are very easy to use; these are mostly used in kitchens, cupboards, and toilets to keep insects away. Mothballs can be also be filled in burrows because the aroma from mothballs irritates rats.
· Human Hair
One thing that these creatures hate and are not widely known by a lot of people is human hair. It has been found that human hair can scare a rat away because it destroys their privacy.
· Citronella
Citronella oil is mostly used to repel mosquitoes and other insects, but according to various researches, it has been found that the daily application of citronella in rat-infested areas can be helpful in many cases.
Tips for Future
Getting rid of these pesky creatures is one thing; after all those struggles, some measures can be taken, so you don’t have to go through the same labor again. These measures include.
· Garden Maintenance
Your plants and other things that grow in your gardens should be kept inside a protective wire. Also, food should not be left in a garden which can attract rats in the future. Keeping the garden free of debris and free of rubbish should also be considered.
· Fix drainage
If there is drainage in your garden, make sure that you care about it and make sure to build a proper drainage system that can clear out the standing water in your garden, this will eliminate the chance of your garden providing hydration for rats.
· Feeding Wild Animals
Avoid feeding wild birds or other animals in your garden because this will leave food residues for the rats.
Final Words
Even though getting rid of rats and their burrows is an easy task, but it can turn out to be a little complicated in some cases. If that’s the case with you, you can always get professional help by contacting rat exterminators.