The Rat Race of 2025: How to Keep the Rodents at Bay This Busy Pest Control Season
If you’ve been hearing a little extra scurrying around your attic or noticing gnaw marks on your cereal boxes, you’re not alone. This year has been the busiest one yet for pest control companies—and guess who’s leading the charge? That’s right, our furry little nemeses: rats.
While most people are worried about the usual suspects—roaches, ants, and the occasional rogue spider—rats have been putting on a full-on performance in homes and businesses across the country. They’ve been extra active this year, and no, they’re not just trying to get in on the latest TikTok trend (though that would be hilarious to watch). It turns out, rats have become a bit too comfortable in our homes as we spend more time inside. The pandemic brought the rise of the home office, but rats? They saw it as the rise of the “home buffet.”
Why So Busy, Rats?
2025 is shaping up to be a rat-tastrophe, and pest control pros everywhere are scrambling to keep up with the influx of rodent jobs. Why? Well, rats tend to thrive in urban environments (so cities, watch out), and warmer winters this year have made it extra cosy for them to set up shop indoors. They’ve figured out how to bypass many puny attempts at keeping them out. They’re savvy. They’re clever. They’ve been on a mission to live their best lives—and your pantry is their VIP lounge.
The Great Rodent Escape (Into Your Home)
If you think you’re safe because you don’t live near a landfill or a bunch of old factories, think again. Rats can travel miles in search of food, warmth, and the occasional Netflix subscription to binge. These little creatures are resourceful, sneaky, and sometimes, downright hilarious in their pursuit of getting in.
Case in point: One of our techs recently found a rat using a branch as a tightrope across a yard to enter a hole in the wall. It was like watching a furry version of Cirque du Soleil, only without the glamour.
How to Stop Them Before They Turn Your Kitchen into Their Personal Buffet
Now that we’ve established rats are basically the Cirque du Soleil performers of the rodent world, how do you stop them from waltzing in like they own the place? We’ve got a few tricks up our sleeves.
1. Seal the Gaps (and the Social Media Accounts)
First, the basics: Rats are like tiny burglars, and they’ll slip into the smallest holes. Check for cracks and gaps around windows, doors, vents, and pipes. Even the tiniest crack can become a rat-sized doorway to your home. So, before you go about sealing things up, don’t forget to do your best impression of a rat detective, looking for hidden entrances. If you find any, seal them up with steel wool or caulk. Trust us, your house will be a lot less like a five-star rodent resort.
2. Remove All Food Temptations (Even if It’s Just Leftover Pizza)
Listen, rats don’t care if you “didn’t mean to leave that pizza out.” To them, that slice of pepperoni is the equivalent of a free buffet. So, if you’re not cleaning up your crumbs (or that half-eaten sandwich you just “forgot” on the counter), you’re basically sending out an invite for a rat house party. Store food in sealed containers and clean up crumbs and spills immediately. Rats aren’t the cleanest animals, but they do appreciate a good, organised meal.
3. Rat-Proof Your Garden (Because They Love a Good Stroll)
Rats are also very well-versed in the art of hopping fences, climbing trees, and even strolling along a garden path like they own it. This year, we’ve seen more rats coming through garden spaces, thinking they’re in a rat-friendly botanical garden. Trim your bushes, remove tree branches that are close to your roof, and keep your yard neat and tidy. After all, rats aren’t big fans of getting their paws dirty… they just want to come into your warm, cozy house. Help them stay outside by making sure their paths are blocked!
4. Set Up Traps or Call in the Pros (Don’t Let Them Play You Like a Game)
If you’ve tried all of the above and your rat problem persists, it might be time to call in the professionals (that’s us!). We’ve seen it all, from elaborate rat hideouts to squeaky little feet darting across ceilings at 3 a.m. Sometimes, all it takes is a good ol’ rat trap or two to send them packing.
But hey, if you want to get creative, here’s an anecdotal tip: Some people have had success with setting up a “trap” using an empty soda can hanging from a string, with a peanut butter smear on the bottom. The idea is the rat tries to grab the peanut butter, the can spins, and boom! They’re caught in a comedic game of “who can outsmart the rat.” (Just don’t get too attached to the idea of a rat circus in your backyard.)
Wrap-Up: No One Likes a Party Crasher
While 2025 might be the year of the rat invasion, there’s no reason to panic. With the right precautions and some help from Killer Instinct, you can keep your home rat-free and your sanity intact. Just remember: Rats don’t knock—they come in quietly, eat your snacks, and leave you cleaning up their mess. So, it’s time to stop the party before it even starts.
If you’ve got rats running the show, give us a call. We’re ready for the busiest year in rodent control yet—and we promise, we’ve got your back!
DJ
Request a callback
