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Fortunately today, Bubonic Plague is not at the top of our list of concerns when we notice a rat on our property.

Rats can transmit diseases to humans, but if you keep a clean house and practice good personal hygiene, the risk is slight. Unless you have rats inside the house the risk really is minimal indeed.

Take this example from our Envirohealth Forum:

I have rats living in my outbuildings (In the eaves & roof). They hide in the day but come out at night. I have tried putting a lot of mint all over the place but haven't rid myself of them yet. The dogs sleep in this space as well & their food is there, should I move the food out? I don't want to kill the rats, I just want them to move on.

Getting rats to 'move on'
It's commendable to use preventative measures rather than killing rodents, and not too difficult if you're consistent. At least give it a good try before going the trap and poison route, or calling in the pest exterminators. Basically, to help keep rodents out of your property, you need to make it undesirable to them. They're after food, water, shelter and easy access, so reduce the availability of these:

• Practise good housekeeping - clear up food spills, don't leave food out, and keep all leftovers in secure containers. Rubbish bins, bird feeders, and yes, pet food, are all potential food sources for rats. Remember they are excellent at gnawing (e.g. through garbage bags, cardboard boxes, sometimes even through wood) and squeezing through incredibly small holes. Don't leave water out either, and fix dripping taps so they don't have a water source.
• Get rid of clutter and rubbish, both indoors and out - this all serves as shelter for rats. They also like long grass and bushes, so cut these back around buildings. If rats - as in the case here - seem to have found a particular haven in the roof, you need to tackle that. Clean out the space under the roof thoroughly, removing any droppings, nest materials and clutter; then close up gaps and crevices so they can't re-enter.
• Check for gaps in your fencing where rats might enter. They are good climbers, so remove anything (like overhanging tree branches) that they can use to enter buildings. If a neighbour's trees are overhanging other people's property, it's the owner's responisibility to do something about it.Rats often hide and nest in trees (most likely the roots), especially if they're fruit-bearing trees.

  Mint is reputed to be a rodent repellent, but I don't think it's very effective. Dogs and cats should help in putting off the rodent population too, but don't rely on them to solve your rodent problem for you. For one thing, you might prefer not to receive those little 'gifts' your pets bring you from their hunting expeditions...

  - Olivia Rose-Innes, EnviroHealth Expert, Health24, updated October 2006
   

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