Advice for householders to help avoid problems with rats and mice
Feeding birds and animals in your garden
Do not put out excessive amounts of food out at any one time.
Clear up spillages to the ground, or from catch trays, on a daily basis before dusk. This is because rats, which tend to be most active at night, will scavenge for spilled food waste, especially that dropped on the ground. This applies also to food dropped from outdoor rabbit hutches.
Do not scatter bird feed on to the ground as this can be hard to clear up properly and will be particularly attractive to rats.
The use of specialist feeders which are designed to attract small garden birds is much better than putting out food on an open table. A catch tray beneath the feeder can be helpful to stop debris falling on to the ground.
Consider that rats will very happily eat all feed put out for birds and other animals, including seeds, nuts and fat balls. If you are currently experiencing problems with rats then it is best to stop feeding birds altogether, at least temporarily.
Keep all animal feed securely indoors within pest-proof buildings; avoid keeping it in insecure outbuildings such as sheds and garages unless the feed is kept in lidded pest-proof containers, e.g. made of metal.