Nothing is more relaxing than waking up to the sound of birdsong in the morning, which is why so many people love putting out bird feeders in the garden. It is a kind way to help birds out when their natural food starts to run low in winter, but feeders can also attract rats to nest nearby if you do not know how to deter them. Birdseed tends to spill onto the ground as birds peck at it, and rats have a keen sense of smell so they often shelter in gardens with feeders, as they give them easy access to food.
However, Danielle from Really Wild Bird Food has shared that there is an easy way to keep rats away without discouraging birds, as all you need is a pungent natural item. Danielle explained: “Studies have shown that rats don’t like strong smells such as garlic powder or peppermint oil so if you have vulnerable areas in your garden it may be worth sprinkling some around to deter rats from visiting your property.”
Rats have highly sensitive noses that they heavily rely on to find food and sniff out danger so they will be more cautious around strong smells.
Garlic and peppermint can irritate a rat’s nose, which can make them feel uncomfortable enough to leave, but they can also mask the smell of seeds from rats.
Unusual smells can also make rats believe danger is nearby as they will not be able to detect predators as easily so are more likely to move on to somewhere safer.
Birds do not have the same keen sense of smell that rats do as they rely more heavily on sight and sound so will still be able to eat from feeders without any big issues.
It is one of the simplest ways to keep rats away naturally without needing to relay on posion, traps or any other devices that will stop wildlife coming into your garden or harm them when they are there.
How to keep rats away from bird feeders
All you need to do is spray peppermint oil or scatter garlic powder around your garden near your feeder. Do this in the early evening if you can as rats are more likely to come out at night.
Put peppermint oil and garlic near entry points, like fences rats might use, or in areas they might shelter, like sheds. Do not place these items directly on the feeder or let them touch any seeds as that could harm birds.
Birds also tend to feed early in the day, so filling a feeder in the morning can help, as it will greatly reduce the amount of food left at night.
Rats also tend to love gardens that have lots of messy areas for them, as they are naturally skittish creatures, so they will feel more confident if there are lots of places for them to hide.
Make sure to keep lawns, bins and sheds tidy, as it will give them fewer places to shelter, and it should be enough to keep these pests away for the rest of winter.