Have you heard the pitter-patter of tiny feet? Seen the precious gnaw marks on precious items? These are some of the first signs that you've got wildlife prowling around your very own home. Unfortunately, the creatures that have chosen to migrate into your homeland are not very friendly to the environment. Rats may not carry the black plague anymore, but they do carry at least 10 other diseases and contaminate food stores and cause property damage. When you spot those early signs, you have to go on the offensive right away. All you need is a little equipment and some knowledge about how to get rid of rats.

Know Your Prey

In order to catch your trophy rat, you have to know your prey, understand its behavior, and employ practical methods to catch him. Understanding how to get rid of rats starts here.

A rat can survive on as little as one ounce of food and water a day. They are generally nocturnal, which is why you'll probably start hearing them run around at dusk. A rat can and will eat any food that humans do, and, between their urine, droppings, and hair, they can contaminate ten times as much as they consume. When you learn how to get rid of rats, this is something you don't have to worry about any more.

Rats are xenophobic creatures. They are naturally suspicious of any new objects in their environment, which is why many traps don't work right away. They don't like going into wide open spaces, so they're more likely to run all the way around a room, pressed against the wall, than they are to run straight across it.

When you know how to get rid of rats, you can act quickly to stop them from doing some real property damage as well. Rats will gnaw on everything from wood, to plastic, to wires. They can cut through phone, network, and electrical lines, which has been the cause of countless fires.

Track 'em Down

The next step in how to get rid of rats is to find them. Look for their droppings, listen for noises in the wall or attic, or try to find the remnants of old nests. Because of their xenophobic tendencies rats tend to follow the same paths in their search for food. Look for smudge marks on walls, beams, or rafters, and gnaw marks on the wood. If you're still not sure, try dusting the area with flour and watch for footprints to appear.

Take 'em Out

The big question of how to get rid of rats is: what method works the best? There are a few options for you to choose from, some are more effective than others for bagging your trophy rat, and some are better depending on your individual circumstances.

Some people want to know how to get rid of rats humanely; others just want to know how to get rid of rats as fast as possible. Options for a rat trap include: poison, snap traps, single-catch live traps, multi-catch live traps, and glue traps. Poison is generally frowned upon, because household pets or children might get to it, and there's no guarantee where the rat will die. Knowing how to get rid of rats that died in a wall is a different matter altogether.

You also have to use a little tact when baiting a trap. As stated earlier, a rat is naturally suspicious of anything new in its environment. Many professionals recommend baiting the trap but not setting it. Feed the rat a couple times until it is used to it, and then you can set the trap. Chances are, you'll be able to catch more than a few this way.

Disposing of Your Trophy

Knowing how to get rid of rats includes knowing how to dispose of them properly. You don't actually want to keep your trophies from this safari. Always use gloves if you have to touch the rat. Wrap the corpse in plastic and bury it or throw it away. If you have chosen the catch and release method, be sure to check with the local Animal Control to find out where it would be okay to release them so you don't inadvertently damage another environment.