Can rats just go away?

Rats have been a part of human civilization since time immemorial. These rodents have adapted well to live alongside humans, finding shelter and food in our homes, farms, and cities. But their presence often brings problems like disease, contamination, and damage to property. So it’s natural to wonder – can rats just go away?

Table of Contents

Why are rats so difficult to get rid of?

There are a few key reasons why rats are so persistent and difficult to eliminate:

High reproduction rate – Rats can mate up to 500 times per hour, and females can give birth to up to 12 pups per litter, with 5-6 litters per year. This high reproduction rate allows rats to quickly rebound even after eradication efforts.

Ability to survive on limited resources – Rats need very little food and water to survive. They can thrive on just an ounce of food and half an ounce of water daily.
Omnivorous diet – Rats are opportunistic eaters and will feed on just about anything from meat and grains to garbage. This adaptability allows them to flourish in many environments.
Burrowing skills – Rats are excellent burrowers and can create complex tunnels and nests in ground, floors, walls etc. These hidden spaces make it harder to locate and eliminate rat populations.

Survival instincts – Rats have strong survival instincts and are intelligent enough to avoid traps and poisons to some extent. Any eradication efforts need to outsmart these adaptable pests.
Ability to transmit disease – Rats can directly transmit dangerous diseases to humans or indirectly spread pathogens through their urine, droppings and bites. Diseases linked to rats include Leptospirosis, Hantavirus, Rat-bite fever, Salmonellosis, Plague and Lassa fever.

With such resilience and reproductive power, rats can evade many control measures and rebound quickly. Persistent, multi-pronged efforts are needed to get rid of rats substantially and for the long term.

What methods can be used to control rat populations?

Here are some common and effective methods to control rat infestations:

Rodenticides (rat poisons) – Poison baits are commonly used to kill rats. Anticoagulant rodenticides prevent blood clotting leading to internal bleeding. Newer single-dose lethal poisons also available.
Traps – Snap traps, glue traps and live cages can be used to trap and kill rats. Traps must be strategically placed in areas of high activity.

Removing access to food and shelter – Limiting food sources and sealing up hiding spots deprives rats of survival essentials.
Natural predators – Cats, dogs, owls and snakes are natural predators that can hunt and kill rats. Having them around helps limit rat numbers.
Sealing entry points – Blocking all cracks, holes and openings in walls, floors, roofs etc. can prevent rat entry and movement.

Ultrasonic repellents – Devices emitting high-frequency sound waves are claimed to repel rats, but effectiveness is questionable.
Fumigation – Filling enclosed spaces with toxic gases can suffocate and kill rats hiding within. Professionals perform the fumigation.

For best results, a strategic combination of methods tailored to the specific rat infestation is recommended by pest management experts. Poison baits, traps, and sealing up the environment provides a triple attack that can significantly reduce rat populations when implemented properly over time.

What are some do’s and don’ts for effective rat control?

Some key do’s and don’ts for effective rat management include:

Do’s

Inspect the premises thoroughly to identify entry points, food sources, water sources, and nesting spots.
Seal up the building exterior and interior to block entry points and remove nesting spots.

Clean up clutter and overgrown vegetation to remove hiding spots and food sources.
Store foodstuffs in sealed metal or glass containers.
Use traps and baits at the right locations based on signs of activity.

Follow label directions closely when using rodenticides.
Partner with a professional pest control service for severe infestations.

Don’ts

Leave leftover pet food out overnight.

Allow trash and clutter to accumulate.
Wait until there is a major infestation before taking action.
Use rodenticides near food preparation areas or children’s play areas.

Touch rodenticides with bare hands and reuse bait stations.
Forget to clean up dead rodents found on the premises.
Attempt makeshift at-home remedies without understanding proper usage.

Paying attention to these guidelines will improve success in getting rid of rats safely and effectively.

What public health risks do rats pose?

Rats can directly or indirectly transmit a concerning number of serious diseases to humans:

Disease	Severity	Transmission
Leptospirosis	Can lead to kidney and liver failure.	Rat urine contaminating food or water.
Hantavirus	Respiratory disease with high fatality rate.	Inhalation of dried rat droppings or urine.
Rat-bite fever	Fever, rash, joint pain and complications.	Bites or scratches from infected rats.
Salmonellosis	Food poisoning with vomiting, diarrhea and dehydration.	Food contaminated by rat feces.
Plague	Pneumonic plague can be fatal if untreated.	Rat fleas carrying Yersinia pestis bacteria.
Lassa fever	Viral illness with bleeding, deafness, miscarriage risk.	Exposure to urine or droppings of infected rats.

Rats also spread foodborne pathogens like E.coli, Salmonella and Tularemia through cross-contamination. Indirect transmission can occur even without any rat bites or scratches. Just having signs of an active infestation means there is a public health risk on the premises.

What diseases can rats themselves carry?

Beyond transmitting diseases to humans, rats can be infected with a range of viral, bacterial, fungal and parasitic diseases:

Seoul virus – Rodent version of Hantavirus carried by wild rats.
Typhus – Historical scourge spread by rat fleas.

Rickettsial pox – Caused by bacteria carried on dust mites on rats.
Rat lungworm – Parasitic worm infection that can affect brain and spinal cord.
Salmonella – Foodborne bacterial infection found in rat feces.

Leptospirosis – Bacterial disease transmitted through rat urine.
Rat bite fever – Bacterial disease from bites/scratches.
Trichinosis – Parasitic roundworm infection transmitted by ingesting undercooked rat meat.

Cryptosporidiosis – Gastrointestinal illness caused by protozoan parasites.
Toxoplasmosis – Parasitic disease that can cause birth defects if contracted during pregnancy.

So rats themselves carry many pathogens and parasites they can spread within rat populations. These “house rats” then become stepping stones for transmission of disease to humans as well.

What attracts rats to human homes and settlements?

Rats establish themselves around human habitations because they get easy access to ample food, water, and shelter:

Food sources – Crops, grains, trash, compost, pet food, livestock feed, food waste etc. provide nutrition.
Water sources – Ponds, puddles, irrigation systems, exposed pipes, pet water bowls etc. provide hydration.

Shelter – Crawlspaces,attics, sheds, basements offer nesting and hiding spots.
Entry points – Openings in walls, roofs, floors allow easy access.
Reduced predators – Cities and suburbs have fewer natural rat predators like hawks, snakes, coyotes etc.

Rats are also attracted by the scent of other rats in an area. Existing infestations can draw more rats to a site through social interaction and scent marking. They rapidly colonize any environment where survival essentials are abundantly available.

What diseases were spread by rats in history?

Throughout history, rats have been the source of devastating disease epidemics globally, including:

The Bubonic Plague (Black Death) that killed up to 200 million people in the 14th century was rat flea-borne.

Early 20th century plague outbreaks in China and India came from rat fleas.
The Great Plague of Marseille in 1720 France claimed 100,000 lives and came from a ship with infected rats.
Rat-borne typhus killed millions in congested urban areas between the 15th and 19th centuries.

The Third Plague Pandemic from 1855-1960 killed over 12 million people in China and India alone.

Even today sporadic plague outbreaks occur if rats in rural areas carry Yersinia pestis bacteria that can be transmitted to humans by fleas. Rats remain potential reservoirs of plague that could spark future epidemics.

Can pest control get rid of all rats in a city or region?

It is extremely difficult to get rid of every single rat in a larger region like a city or county. Here are some of the challenges in completely eliminating all rat populations:

Cities have an enormous rat population size, often in the millions.
Rats live hidden in walls, sewers, basements and hard to access areas.
New rats can migrate in from rural areas or adjacent cities.

Some rats avoid baits and traps to survive eradication efforts.
Breeding populations rapidly recover from partial reductions.
Reinfestation will occur if habitat suitability remains high.

Pest control measures can substantially reduce rat populations by 70% to 90% in a given area. However, completely eliminating every single rat is considered practically impossible, especially in dense urban environments. Control measures have to be continually applied to keep populations low and prevent rebounding.

How can cities and settlements be designed to discourage rats?

Urban planning and infrastructure design can make cities less hospitable to rats by blocking access, removing food and water, and reducing hiding spots. Measures include:

Rodent-proofing buildings by sealing all possible entryways.

Covering drains and installing flap valves to deter entry through sewers.
Designing enclosed dumpsters and waste storage areas.
Requiring metal or screened silos for grain storage.

Banning urban livestock that can attract rodents.
Cutting back shrubs and vegetation to remove hiding spots.
Requiring ratslabs under compost piles and containers.

Sealing food kiosks and restaurants at night.
Encouraging use of secured garbage cans by households.
Requiring unfaced masonry perimeter walls around properties.

Such preventive measures based on environmental management create cities less likely to sustain large rat populations. Vigilant sanitation efforts are also key to depriving rats of survival essentials.

How can restaurants and food handling facilities control rats?

Commercial kitchens and food outlets attract rats due to abundant food supplies. Strict preventive measures are essential including:

Sealing all external doors, windows, vents with weather stripping, sweeps, mesh screens etc.

Keeping exterior areas clean and free of clutter, vegetation and debris.
Installing air curtains at entrances that blow air to deter rodent entry.
Inspecting deliveries for signs of rodents before storage.

Keeping trash in rodent-proof bins and frequent removal.
Not leaving any food or spills overnight.
Storing foodstuffs in chew-proof sealed containers.

Routinely cleaning behind and under equipment and fixtures.
Installing rodent control devices like traps or bait stations.
Contracting regular pest control services for maintenance.

Proactive measures and professional pest control are essential for complete rodent-proofing of food business facilities against persistent rats.

Conclusion

Rats are difficult to eliminate entirely once established around human habitats. Their resilience, reproduction and survival instincts make rats a formidable foe. But their threats to human health and property make control efforts necessary through an integrated approach. Rat populations can be substantially reduced through diligent sanitation, exclusion and population control measures. However rats may never just go away completely on their own from places they have adapted to live in. Humans have to make the environment as inhospitable as possible and be constantly vigilant against reinfestation.