Will a rat in the attic have a nest of babies?

It is true that a rat in the attic can have a nest of babies depending on the time of year and the conditions in your attic. This means that if the rat menace is not tamed quickly, you’re likely to have a big problem on your hands. In other words, you might eliminate the parent rat and leave the nest of babies that will grow quickly and continue to multiply. Generally, rats are known to be commensal rodents, and this means that they prefer to live with humans and not in the wild like other animals that fall in the same group. As such, they are common in cities and homes. They particularly enjoy making their homes in attic spaces.

A rat in the attic can multiply pretty quickly with a nest being made of either plant debris or insulation. Statistics indicate that female rats can mate up to 500 times with different males within a period of 12 months. In this case, the brown rat can have at least 2000 offspring – and so you can imagine how your home can become quite unlivable. It is even worse to know that it takes a baby rat only 3-4 months to mature. Therefore, based on these statistics, it is likely that a rat in the attic will have a nest of babies.

The fact that rats reproduce very quickly is always a cause of alarm in homes and residential areas. In fact, some of the rats are known to engage in communal nesting with two or three rearing litters in one single nest. If this happens, then your home can become infested within a very short time. This means that you should always start tackling the menace the moment you hear the night noises. These nests are usually dirty and are known to harbor harmful elements.

The best thing you can do to get rid of the rat menace is simply eliminate the nest and parent rats. You should start by inspecting the attic. Thereafter, find out how they got into the attic before using any rat elimination method that will best meet your needs. If you find the entry holes, make it a point to seal them with the best sealant available. Last but not least, clean the area, ensuring that no nest of babies is left behind.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Rats page or email us if you have any other questions about Will a rat in the attic have a nest of babies?