Do Rats Come Indoors When It’s Cold?

Rats are a problem that most people will have to confront at one time or another. These pests are endemic to the UK and often invade homes and businesses. That being said, at times they can be more of a problem than usual. One example of this is when it gets colder. When this happens rats often come into properties. In fact, there are several reasons why rats come indoors when it’s cold.

What attracts them indoors?

The biggest reason why rats come indoors is to seek shelter from the weather. Most people have difficultly handling cold weather. Now can you imagine how tough it is for a small animal such as a rat? These creatures are completely unsuited for dealing with subzero temperatures. They are ill equipped to survive heavy rain, snow, fog, frost, and sleet. This is why you sometimes encounter dead rats lying randomly on pavements. It’s simply because the rat has succumbed to the elements.

In order to prevent this, rats come indoors. Another reason why they do this is to breed. Rats give birth all year round. This can be difficult to do during winter. By moving indoors they can give birth more easily. They also increase the chances that their offspring will survive the cold weather.

Another reason why rats come indoors and cause pest emergencies is to seek food. During cold weather it becomes more difficult for them to find food and also to move about and forage for food. Just the other day we saw a video in which a rat attacked a full grown pigeon. If these pests have to resort to doing that, then you must know that times are hard. By entering homes and business, rats gain easy access to food and no longer have to hunt.

Does it matter if you have a couple of rats in residence?

And this is where they can become a massive issue. You see, once rats take up residence inside, they are not easy to get rid of. The rats will quickly breed and their numbers will explode exponentially. A single pair of rats can multiply into hundreds in the space of only a few months. When this happens, they can cause serious damage to the property and may also spread disease.

This is why it’s so important to pay attention to this issue, especially when it starts getting colder. You need to rat proof your property and seal up all entry points. Doing this will help to prevent rats from entering and save you from having to deal with this problem. If the rats are already inside, then call a safe pest exterminator as soon as possible. Remember, the longer you leave this problem, the more difficult it will be to solve.