Rat Control in the Landscape: Eliminate Food Sources First

Rats in your yard are likely attracted by spilled birdseed. Switch to black oil sunflower seed only—birds consume it completely before it hits the ground. Cheap mixes with millet, cracked corn, or wheat cause messy foraging that feeds rodents. Then deploy half a dozen rat-sized snap traps where you've seen activity to eliminate the existing population before they invade your home.