Rat Soham's setting among farmland, smallholdings and gardens with chickens or other animals means animal feed is a common feature of daily life here. Unfortunately, it is also one of the strongest attractants for rats, and poorly stored feed is behind a good number of the rat problems Green Pest Control deals with in the area.
Rats have an excellent sense of smell and will travel a reasonable distance to reach a reliable food source, so even feed kept some way from the house can end up drawing rats onto a property.
Types of feed that cause problems
Almost any stored feed can attract rats if it is accessible, but some are particularly common culprits.
- Chicken and poultry feed left in coops or feeders overnight
- Bird seed spilled around feeding stations or stored in thin bags
- Pet food, especially dry food left out or stored in garages
- Horse feed and hay stored in outbuildings
- Rabbit and guinea pig food kept in hutches or nearby sheds
- Livestock feed on smallholdings, even when kept in a barn
Reducing the risk
The good news is that feed-related rat problems are often preventable with a few changes to how and where feed is stored. Keeping feed in metal or thick plastic containers with secure lids, clearing up spilled feed promptly, and avoiding leaving feed out overnight all reduce the chance of attracting rats in the first place. Bird feeders positioned away from fences, sheds and walls also make it harder for rats to feed unnoticed.
That said, once rats have found a reliable food source nearby, storage changes alone may not be enough to remove an established problem.
If rats have already moved in
If you keep animals or feed birds at your Soham property and have noticed signs of rats, whether burrows, droppings or gnawed feed bags, it is worth having the situation assessed properly. Green Pest Control inspects the property, treats any existing infestation, and can advise on feed storage and proofing to prevent it happening again.
It is worth bearing in mind that feed storage is only one part of the picture. Even with careful storage, a property near farmland or allotments may still see occasional rat activity simply due to the surrounding rural environment, so ongoing awareness of the signs remains useful alongside good storage habits.
Call 01502 630 122 for a free, no-obligation quotation.
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