Why Your Home May Be More Attractive to Rats Now and What To Do About It

If you’re living in or near an Ontario suburb, and you’re seeing more rat or mouse activity around your home, you’re not imagining it. According to our call data over the past 5 years, we determined that this is a direct result of the effects 2019 pandemic which forced rodents to change where they find food.

Why Rodent Food Sources Changed

When the COVID pandemic hit and restaurants, bars and food services shut down, the steady stream of leftover waste that many rodents relied on drastically dropped. Rats lost a major part of their daily diet and were forced to go foraging elsewhere.

Now, even though the pandemic is over, many of those colonies stayed in their new zones instead of going back to their original foraging grounds. In that time the mice and rat populations continued to increase and homeowners are now seeing them much more than before.

There was even an article that reported that Chicago saw an increase in residents reporting rat sightings and increased rodent activity during the stay-at-home orders and lockdown period.

There was also a survey done of 50 North American companies where there was a 55% increase in reported rat removal jobs than the previous year, and 37% said that most lockdown jobs were from new customers.

What Does This Mean for Homeowners?

Because rodents are opportunistic and very adaptable, their migration means your home is now on their radar and you should think proactively.

Here are a few pre-emptive things you can do:

• Secure and rodent-proof garbage and compost bins.
• Promptly clean up outdoor food scraps.
• Check for obvious holes rodents can gain access from.
• Carefully check the garage, shed and basement for evidence of rodents.
• Reorganize and clean up cluttered spaces where rats can hide.
• Call a professional wildlife removal company for an inspection.

Health Risks for Homeowners and Pets

Rodents such as mice and rats pose serious health threats to humans and pets through direct contact with droppings, urine, saliva, and the parasites they carry. Common risks include respiratory illnesses, bacterial infections, and allergic reactions, with pets being especially vulnerable to secondary poisoning from rodenticides or flea-borne diseases.

Dogs can get several diseases from rat fleas including Tapeworms, Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD), anemia, and bacterial infections like Bartonellosis or Rickettsiosis typhi.

The top 5 common disease rats can spread to humans and pets are: