Do Rats Come Out In The Day Or Avoid The Light?


There are few animal species that have adapted as well to the urbanization of many parts of the world as rats, and while this has meant animals losing habitats in many areas, this has actually provided rats with a range of new habitats. As the wooden ships found new continents and places to colonize, the rats were there on the ships, and found their populations booming along with the number of human settlements. However, one of the real survival techniques for rats is being able to live alongside people without being seen, and choosing when to be active is one good way that they can use to make it less likely that they come into contact with potential threats.

A Rat’s Natural Activity Preferences

Rats are naturally diurnal, which means that they will usually be most active in the hour after sunset and in the hour before sunrise, and this provides them with the cover of darkness to help reduce the chances of them being spotted by predators and other potential threats. Rats are natural scavengers, and their digestive system can adapt to a wide range of different food sources, and the cover of darkness allows them the freedom to look for food. However, one of the traits that has made the rat so successful is its adaptability, so while its natural inclination is to be active at night, then it can adapt to its surroundings too.

Why Would A Rat Be Active During The Day?

One of the main reasons that a rat will be active during the day is that the area where they are located may have food sources that are easier to access during the day, such as when garbage sacks are put out for collection. Some of the rats that are spotted during the day may be pregnant or nursing, as females that are looking after baby rats may not be able to choose when they are active as much as the males. There is also the possibility that if weaker rats are being threatened by other rats to stay away from food sources at night, then they may have to become active at alternative times in order to feed sufficiently.

Is Spotting A Rat During The Daytime Something To Be Worried About?

Whether you see a rat during the day or at night, it certainly isn’t something that you should ignore as rats are creatures that can transmit disease, and can pose a significant health risk to people in that area. One of the problems with seeing a rat during the daytime is that it can indicate that a particular area has a larger rat population, as some of the weaker rats may be forced to try and feed during the day. Regardless, seeing a rat around your property or business should be a call to action, and you should take the right steps to deal with your infestation, however large it is.

Dealing With A Rat Infestation Around Your Home Or Business

The first step is to try and identify the areas where rats will have been active, so look around the area where you saw the rat, along with any other areas where food is stored and in the dark corners of the building. Set several rat traps in the areas where there are signs of rat activity, baited with a food such as peanut butter, and then check these rat traps regularly over several weeks, removing any carcasses caught. Once you stop seeing signs of rat activity and you are no longer catching these rats, try to clean up the area, and remove any potential food sources that may have been attracting the rats.


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