I believe in treating all creatures with respect. My mission is to ensure everyone understands how to protect their home from rodents without using cruel methods.
An attic is rarely visited in most houses, and it is host to tons of old, usually sentimental items. These items are perfect for a rat to use for a nest! So be aware. If you hear rats in your attic, you need to get them out ASAP.
Rats are good climbers and will get to the attic by squeezing through openings already present on your ceilings and in the walls.
It’s also possible for them to easily run from one place to another. That includes running up the walls!
House Walls
Try to listen out for any scratching noises emanating from your walls. The noises are commonly heard at night when it’s dark and the house is quiet.
Leaving them inside your walls is not something that you want to do. Once inside, they can start chewing on your electrical wires, posing a fire hazard. Also, if they die in your walls, the smell of a dead rat can linger for weeks!
When you have confirmed a rat in your wall, look for holes they are using to get inside the walls. When you have found them, seal them off.
Yard
Have you ever checked around your yard for rats?
A yard is an ideal hiding place for rats. This is due to the presence of many chewable items. We are talking about plants, trash, ornaments, food leftovers, and wood furniture. These are but some things that can transform a previously immaculate garden into an attractive hiding place for rats.
Keeping your yard rat-free will require maintenance, dedication, and hard work. You can identify an infestation by checking for holes. Rodents like to dig around the garden.
Furniture
One of the most common places a rat will hide in your home is your furniture.
Your furniture is easily accessible; they chew through the material and sneak inside. Easy!
The only danger (for the rat) is that your furniture is likely to be regularly in use. Rats will have to be pretty desperate to hide here.
Basement
Many homeowners tend to convert their basements into storage facilities for items they are not using.
Storing food supplies in your basement will make it an ideal breeding place for rats.
In addition to being a storage facility, it also means that the area is likely to be warm, moist, and dark. These are attractive to vermin looking for reproduction spots. Look for entry holes on the floor surface.
Rodents often access the basement from the ground level. Also, check on the status of your walls, drains, and pipes and repair anything that appears damaged or broken.
Sewers and Drains
Did you know that rodents can squeeze through any opening with a diameter of about 3.8 centimeters?
This is what makes them good at getting through sewers and drain pipes. It may take weeks to realize that there is a colony of rodents and vermin in your drain pipes and sewers.
Any damage, mainly structural, done by the rats to such areas may cost hundreds, thousands, even tens of thousands to repair.
This is in addition to finding them in your bathroom after swimming through the drain pipes all the way to the toilet opening. Imagine that!
Garage
The tiny opening under the garage door is an excellent way for rats to get into your house. Having found their way in, they will now start to nest, reproduce, and eat anything they can find.
As soon as it gets an opening that will allow it to search for food, you can be sure it will take it.
Rats in your kitchen may have gained entry by creating a hole in the power supply unit behind the cooking stove. This is the first place to check for an indication of whether it has been breached or not. If breached, ensure it gets sealed and replaced with metal where possible.
You should also take it upon yourself to regularly clean your kitchen. Get rid of even the smallest food particles that may have fallen to the floor when cooking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do rats hide during the day?
Rats mostly sleep during the day and begin to wake up at around 19:00 every day. During the day, they will likely be curled up somewhere in your home, asleep!
Do rats hide from light?
Rats do not hide from the light, but they do not like to be exposed to light because it advertises they are there! Rats do not want to be seen and will avoid light where possible.
Do rats hide in your sofa?
Yes – rats can hide inside your sofa. A sofa will offer rats protection and easy access. If you use it regularly, rats will not be that keen on living inside your sofa.
Conclusion
Rats can hide in any place inside your house. So long as the place is dark and there are food items, they will continue to feel safe, allowing them to breed.
The question shouldn’t be ‘where do rats hide in a house?’ it should be more like ‘how do I stop the things from getting in!’
I’m an expert in do-it-yourself rodent control. For more than 20 years, I’ve dedicated my life to helping people live harmoniously alongside these critters by sharing rodent control solutions that are effective and kind.
I believe in treating all creatures with respect. My mission is to ensure everyone understands how to protect their home from rodents without using cruel methods.
1 thought on “Where Do Rats Hide In A House – These 8 Places”
It really helped to read just how many small openings rats can make their way through all over the house. Getting rat infestations is the number one thing I want to avoid with my house since a large number of my relatives are simply terrified of them. This is even accompanied by the fact that my sister, in particular, once had a very bad experience with one, so to make sure we don’t get them at all, I’ll look for a pest control service that can help me get rid of any that are already here and take some preventive measures against them.
It really helped to read just how many small openings rats can make their way through all over the house. Getting rat infestations is the number one thing I want to avoid with my house since a large number of my relatives are simply terrified of them. This is even accompanied by the fact that my sister, in particular, once had a very bad experience with one, so to make sure we don’t get them at all, I’ll look for a pest control service that can help me get rid of any that are already here and take some preventive measures against them.