Want To Know How To Scare Rats Away? 5 Proven Tips
Written By Rodent Guide
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.
Keeping rats away from your home and the surrounding area is vital! When you have noticed a rat in your garden or even in your home, you need to know how to scare them away, especially if you don’t have any equipment to tackle the rat straight away!
If you want to know how to scare rats away, then read on…
What you will learn in this post:
How to scare rats away using 5 tried and tested methods
There is a difference between knowing how to scare a rat away and knowing how to deter rats. Rat repellents or deterrents, such as vinegar and black pepper work, but they do not scare rats away.
In a full-on rat infestation, you should be using both as part of the war! Repel rats, and scare them away. Knowledge is power, and you are smarter than a rat.
How To Scare Rats Away – Using These 5 Pro Tips
Let’s get on to the main point of this article, to learn how to scare rats away! We will cover 5 tried and tested methods (I have used each one), so you can take in the knowledge and go to war with these rodents, Rambo style!
Loud Noises
You can scare rats away with loud noises. In fact, most noises you make will scare a rat away! The loudest noises work much better, though.
This will work every time. If I hear a rat in an attic, I’ll make a loud noise, and I can hear the rat scurrying away. If you want to know how to scare rats out of your house, this is the best way.
By making consistent loud noises and making regular appearances in the attic, you also let the rat know that you are around. You never know; it may just force it to find somewhere else to set up a rat’s nest!
Cat or Dog
Cats and dogs hunt rats… well, most hunt rats. The point is that rats know that a cat or dog is a predator and will naturally fear them. What can scare rats away? Cat and dogs… and it works too!
I convinced a friend of mine to borrow a friend’s cat when they were hearing rat noises in their attic. I told them to put the cat in the attic 5 or 6 times during the day. It took 3 days before no more sounds were heard in the attic.
So what happened? I can only surmise that the cat showed the rats that this particular attic was not a safe place to live. It worked!
Predator Noises
To know how to scare off a rat, you first need to understand what they are afraid of! By playing predator noises, you can scare rats away! Use noises such as a cat, dog, snake, or owl. Play these noises in areas where you have noticed rat activity.
Out of all the noises, I have found the loud bark of a dog to be the most effective at scaring rats away.
Not only is a bark the sound of a natural predator, but it is also loud and abrupt, and loud noises scare rats away!
You
If you notice signs of rats in your attic and you want to scare them away, get up to the attic (with a respirator on, ideally).
By moving in on areas where you have noticed rat activity, you are letting them know that you are around, and you are going to be visiting these areas regularly. This will give the rat the message ‘it might not be safe here.’ You could scare the rats away to find another place to set up home!
Make the rat know that you are there, and you will visit this place at random times. It will unsettle them and will scare rats out of your home!
The Light
Whilst rats are not scared of lights; they do prefer not to be exposed by them. In the wild, the light will allow natural predators to see them more clearly. Predators such as cats, dogs, and birds of prey.
I stayed in a wooded area on vacation one year, and it had a few rats in and around that area. One evening, we saw a rat enter the kitchen from behind one of the cabinets. I switched the light on, and the rat bolted behind the kitchen cabinets very quickly!
Best Way To Keep Rats Away – Don’t Let Them In!
This is a common theme across this website, and for a good reason too!
The most effective method to control a rat infestation and the biggest and the best thing you can do is seal those rat entry points.
Without a gap, space, or hole for a rat to get in, they will move onto another house. If they can’t get in, there is no rat problem in your home!
Ultimately, by being prepared, you should always be on the front foot to stop you from becoming a victim of a rat infestation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What sound do rats hate?
Rats do not like any noise they deem to be dangerous. Noises such as cats, dogs, and other predators are a huge deterrent for rats! Loud noises such as shouting, or banging will also work to get rid of rats. You could try using ultrasonic devices to deter rats. Some say they are very good, and I have had a little success too, but they should not be relied upon as the only way to deter rats.
Do rats hate light?
Rats do not hate light at all. They do prefer not to be seen, which is the most important thing to consider here. Rats prefer to move under the cover of darkness, so they are difficult to be seen. During the day they will move under the cover of plants, trees, and bushes. When the lights come on, they are much more exposed than they were before. Predators will be able to see them more clearly, from the ground, and from above (birds of prey for instance). That is the reason why they may fear the light, but they do not hate it.
Are rats scared of dogs?
Dogs are a natural predators for rats so yes, rats are scared of dogs. Having said that, I have seen a rat chase a dog before, which was bizarre… I guess some rats are braver than others, right? Ultimately, most dogs hunt and kill rats, which means a rat is right to be fearful of them.
Conclusion
Are you looking for ideas on how to scare rats away? Well, if you use the 5 methods identified in this post, then you are onto a winner!
You can also implement homemade rat repellent options to help achieve your rat-free goals.
Scaring rats away is only one part of a rat control process, it is not the only thing that you should be doing.
The most important thing you can do is stop them from coming into your home in the first place. You can do this by ensuring each rat’s entry point is sealed up so no rats can gain entry.
If your area is prone to a rat infestation, then you should look to see what you can do to improve it. Ensure your yard is clean and clear. Store food correctly, and don’t offer rats a free route into your home.
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.
