Rats in the home can be an unsettling experience. If you’ve discovered an unwelcome rodent roommate, you’re likely wondering if it’s safe to sleep while it runs free. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know to get a good night’s rest, even with a rat on the loose.
The short answer is: it depends. While the presence of a rat doesn’t guarantee danger, taking some precautions can help protect your health and peace of mind.
Assessing the Risks of a Rat Infestation
Diseases Spread by Rats
Rats can spread over 35 diseases to humans through their urine, droppings, bites, or scratches (1). These include dangerous illnesses like hantavirus, leptospirosis, rat-bite fever, and even the bubonic plague.
In fact, rats played a huge role in spreading the Black Death across medieval Europe, which killed millions of people (2). So having a rat infestation greatly increases your chance of contracting one of these frightening diseases.
Rat Droppings and Contamination
Rat droppings also pose a contamination risk. Rats defecate constantly, spreading germs everywhere they go. According to the CDC, your risk of food or water contamination rises dramatically from rat fecal matter, especially from droppings getting into cooking surfaces, storage containers, or drinking water.
Consuming anything a rat has come into contact with is extremely unhygienic and risky.
Rat Bites and Scratches
While not super aggressive, cornered rats may bite or scratch in self-defense. Rat bites pose a high risk of infection, either from disease or bacteria from their sharp teeth introducing foreign germs under your skin. An estimated 10,000 rat bites occur annually just in the United States (3).
And almost 10% of rat bites lead to disease transmission through a process called rat-bite fever (4). So it’s vital to avoid getting bitten or scratched by rats sharing your living space.
Damage to Property
Being incredibly strong for their size, rats can cause major destruction by gnawing and shredding materials in your home for nest building. From drywall to wood to cables, rats can chew through various items, causing fires or electrical issues over time.
One study found rats cause around $19 billion per year in property damages in the US alone (5). They can certainly wreck your personal property if given the chance. Getting rid of them quickly limits potential destruction.
Tips for Safe Sleeping With a Rat Present
Set Traps Before Bed
Before going to bed, set up glue traps, live traps, or snap traps in areas where you have seen the rats or evidence of them, such as along walls, near food sources, and in dark corners. Check the traps in the morning and dispose of any captured rats properly.
Using traps can be an effective way of catching and removing rats without having to stay awake worrying.
Eliminate Food Sources
Rats are attracted to food and crumbs left out in the open. Do a thorough cleaning to eliminate any possible food sources. Keep all human and pet food sealed tightly in chew-proof containers so the rats cannot access them at night.
Without a food source, rats are much less likely to come into a room while occupants are sleeping. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends eliminating all food sources to prevent rat infestations (www.cdc.gov).
Seal Up Entry Points
Rats can squeeze through holes as small as a quarter and chew through materials like wood, aluminum, and plastic. Walk around the room and use steel wool, caulk, concrete, hardware cloth, or metal kick plates to tightly seal up any holes along walls or underneath doors.
Blocking all entry points prevents rats from gaining access to the living space in the first place. The CDC states that sealing cracks and holes is an essential first step of rat exclusion (www.epa.gov).
Sleep with a Light On
Rats typically prefer to stay hidden and do not like bright lights. Keeping a lamp or overhead light on while you sleep can deter rats from coming out and exposing themselves in an open room at night.
Sleeping with a light is also recommended because rats are most active in the dark. If one does enter the room, you are more likely to see it with a light on and either scare it off or catch it in a trap.
Keep Pets Nearby
Letting animals like cats, dogs, or pet rats sleep in your room with you at night can be an effective natural deterrent against wild rats. The scent and presence of other animals often frightens rats away.
Pets such as cats and high-prey drive terriers may also catch rats if they do enter the room. According to the ASPCA, dogs catch an estimated 10 to 15 rats per year. While a pet may not guarantee a rat-free room, it can provide you with some peace of mind.
When to Call a Professional Exterminator
Signs of a Serious Infestation
If you spot more than a couple rats in your home, it’s a sign you likely have a larger infestation that requires professional help. Seeing droppings in attics, walls, cabinets, and other areas also indicates an established population.
The diseases rats transmit through urine and feces like hantavirus, leptospirosis, and rat-bite fever make their presence a serious health hazard. Extensive damage and nesting materials in walls or insulation are problematic too.
An exterminator has the proper tools like infrared cameras to detect nest locations and commercial-grade poisons to effectively eliminate infestations. Trying DIY methods when you have a serious rat problem often fails and allows the pests to multiply further. Don’t delay calling in the experts.
Difficulty Trapping the Rat
If you’ve tried modern humane rat traps like the Victor Electronic Rat Trap but the rodent eludes capture, it’s smart to bring in a pest control professional. Some rats are trap shy and can outwit DIY trapping attempts.
Exterminators use advanced techniques like locking bait stations that lure rats in but prevent escape.
They also have access to stronger rodenticides not available to the public that work faster. Terminix notes poisoned rats tend to die off-site to avoid frightening other colony members. Let the pros handle a hard-to-trap rat so it doesn’t continue damaging your home or spreading disease.
Persistent Rat Droppings
Discovering rat droppings regularly around your property means you have an ongoing rodent problem. Rats defecate up to 40 times daily, so frequent droppings suggest a sizable colony. The health dangers of accumulations of urine and feces also make it imperative to get professional help.
Exterminators use advanced detection methods to find nest locations. They can strategically place bait stations and traps to capture the entire group. Trying to solve a rampant rat problem yourself often leaves some survivors to quickly repopulate.
Extensive Structural Damage
Since rats can chew through wood, drywall, bricks, wiring, and pipes, large amounts of structural damage signal it’s time to call the exterminator. Major nesting sites inside walls need professional remediation.
Attempting repairs without first eliminating the rodents is futile since they’ll keep causing damage.
Frequent gnawing and burrowing by rats compromises homes structurally and risks collapse. It also leaves entry points for more pests. Getting professional pest control ASAP is the most effective way to permanently end the infestation and prevent additional destruction.
Preventing Future Rat Infestations
Regularly Inspect for Entry Points
One of the best ways to prevent rats from infiltrating your home in the future is to inspect regularly for possible entry points (Rentokil). Make sure to check inside and outside the home, including spaces around pipes, vents, doors, windows, attic soffits, and the roofline.
Also inspect garages, sheds, basements, and anywhere food or shelter may attract rodents.
Don’t forget to check for gaps or holes wider than 0.25 inches, as rats can squeeze through very tight spaces. Use steel mesh, wire, concrete, metal kickplates, and other pest-proof materials to seal any cracks or openings you find.
Keep Food Sealed and Surfaces Clean
Since rats forage for food, keeping your kitchen surfaces clean and food sealed plays a vital role (WebMD). Wipe down counters, sweep floors, take out trash regularly, and avoid leaving dirty dishes overnight. Store food like grains, cereals, flour, and snacks in airtight plastic or glass containers.
You should also frequently clean behind and under appliances and cabinets where crumbs and spills collect. A rat only needs about 1 ounce of food daily, so removing access to crumbs can prevent problems.
Declutter to Remove Nesting Sites
Rats are resourceful in finding shelter in cluttered areas with items like cardboard boxes, piles of papers, rarely worn clothing stuffed under beds, and stacks of containers. Periodically decluttering closets, basements, attics, garages, sheds, and storage spaces eliminates cozy nesting sites for rodents (AA Animal Control).
When decluttering, check for signs of rats like droppings, grease marks, gnaw marks, burrows or nests, and the animals themselves. Also throw away unused items that could serve as shelters, and reorganize useful items into neatly stacked bins so you can easily monitor for pests.
Use Deterrents Like Peppermint Oil
Rodents generally dislike strong scents, so using peppermint oil and other scented deterrents around your home may help discourage rat activity (Home Design Etc). You can soak cotton balls in peppermint oil and stash them along walls, in closets, crawl spaces, attics, and near doors or windows.
Research also shows that peppermint oil may repel up to 90% of tested rodents for 2-4 weeks at a time, so it can be quite useful for deterrence (ScienceDirect). Other rat deterrents include eucalyptus, garlic, pipe tobacco, camphor oil, red pepper flakes, ultrasonic pest repellents, and predator urine like coyote or fox.
Conclusion
Discovering a rat in your home can be disruptive and concerning. While they do pose some risks, there are steps you can take to protect yourself and your family at night. Focus on sealing up entry points, setting traps, containing food, and tidying clutter to make conditions less hospitable.
With some diligence, you can take control of the situation and rest easy. If issues persist, don’t hesitate to call on professional help. Stay vigilant in keeping rats out for good.
