Does dog poop attract rats? It can. Washington, DC's Department of Energy and Environment says plainly in its rat brochure that rats can feed on pet waste, along with uneaten food set out for birds and pets. King County, Washington's public health department lists "pick up dog waste in your yard daily" among its rodent prevention steps. Dog poop is rarely the only draw, though. In a Pensacola yard it's usually one item on a menu that also includes pet food, bird seed, garbage, ripe fruit and plenty of places to hide.
The two rats you're likely dealing with
The University of Florida's rodent control guide describes two rats that cause most problems around Florida homes.
Roof rats
Roof rats thrive in attics, roof spaces, palm trees and ornamental shrubbery. They're climbers and prefer to nest off the ground. They generally prefer vegetables, fruits and grain, and UF/IFAS notes they live in citrus trees and gnaw on the fruit. If you have a Satsuma or a palm next to the fence, that's prime roof rat territory. Their droppings are up to half an inch long and spindle shaped.
Norway rats
In Florida, Norway rats are most common along the sea coasts and canals, and they thrive where garbage isn't stored properly. That describes a lot of neighborhoods near Pensacola's bayous and the sound. They're burrowers that dig under slabs, rubbish and banks. They prefer fresh meat, fish and grain but, according to UF/IFAS, can get by on an ounce a day of garbage or decayed food. Their droppings are about three quarters of an inch long and capsule shaped.
Both kinds of rats travel 100 to 150 feet from their nest looking for food or water. Your neighbor's woodpile is close enough to make your dog yard part of the route.
How fast does dog poop attract rats?
We couldn't find a reliable number, and we'd be skeptical of anyone who gives one. What UF/IFAS does say is that rats are active mostly at night, with the most activity in the first half of the night when food is plentiful. So anything left in the yard overnight, whether it's a pile, a half full food bowl or spilled bird seed, is available during their busiest hours.
UF/IFAS makes a related point about pets: food put out for pets is excellent rat food, and rats often clean out the bowl overnight. A yard with an outdoor food bowl and a week of piles gives rats two reasons to visit.
Rats, snakes and your dog
A steady rodent population tends to bring predators. UF/IFAS notes that rat snakes, king snakes, pine snakes, black racers and coachwhips eat large numbers of rodents and help control them, and it advises against killing non venomous snakes. That's good news for rat control but not always welcome news if your dog likes to investigate the woodpile.
Rats are a health concern for people too. UF/IFAS says rats can carry at least ten kinds of diseases, including leptospirosis and murine typhus, and they contaminate far more food than they eat. If you think you've been exposed, talk to your doctor. If your dog has been in contact with rats or rat droppings and seems sick, call your veterinarian.
How to stop rats from eating dog poop
The UF/IFAS guide is clear that sanitation has to be constant to work, and that yearly cleanups are generally ineffective. Here's a practical list for a dog yard:
- Scoop on a schedule. Daily is what King County recommends. If that's not realistic, see our guide on how often to pick up dog poop.
- Bag it and lid it. Seal waste in a bag and keep garbage in cans with tight fitting lids. Our post on putting dog poop in the trash covers which cart it goes in.
- Bring the food bowl in at night, and store pet food and bird seed in rat proof containers.
- Pick fruit when it's ripe and clean up dropped citrus.
- Remove hiding spots. King County suggests stacking firewood 18 inches off the ground and away from buildings, and keeping bushes, vines and branches cut back at least 3 feet from the house.
- Dry up water sources like leaky spigots and forgotten buckets.
Rats aren't the only pests a dirty dog yard feeds. Flies and palmetto bugs are part of the same picture, which we cover in does dog poop attract roaches, flies and mosquitoes.
Signs rats are already around
UF/IFAS lists the usual clues: droppings (fresh ones are black and shiny, old ones gray and crumbly), gnaw marks on wood or wire, smooth packed trails 2 to 3 inches wide under vegetation, dark greasy rub marks along walls, and burrow openings about 3 inches across near slabs or banks. If you see these, sanitation alone may not be enough, and trapping or a pest control company may be the next step.
Let us handle the scooping part
We can take one item off the menu. Every visit, we scoop every pile, double bag it, and haul it away or place it in your bin, your choice. Plans start at $79 a month for weekly service with one dog. See all options on our pricing page.
Text SCOOP to (850) 273-8546 with your address and number of dogs, or sign up online and pick your service day.