Typically, pea gravel is used to prevent weeds from spreading through the yard landscaping. It’s also used for mulching, to facilitate drainage, and as a decorative material adding to the aesthetic appeal of a property. Although these are the most common reasons, they are not the only ones. Pea gravel can also be used to keep rats and other rodents away from your home.
How Does Pea Gravel Keep Rats Away?
Pea gravels are smooth, multi-colored stones the size of a pea. Many homeowners opt to use them around their houses, gardens, driveways, and pathways. This is a great prevention technique to prevent rats from entering their homes and making holes in the yard landscaping as rats do not like burrowing through gravel. Having a layer of loose gravel beneath and around your house can discourage the rats as it makes it difficult for them to dig through, build a nest, or hide. When a rat digs in it, the pebbles fall back in upon themselves and it’s much harder for the animal to move. This way, the rat gets frustrated and eventually abandons its efforts to proceed.
Typically, rats prefer to excavate their burrows in soft ground. However, given the option of digging through 4 or 6 inches of loose gravel and finding another place to live, then this helps to shift the balance in favor of them looking elsewhere. The same also applies to other smaller rodents such as mice or shrews. These pests prefer areas that are well hidden to protect them from potential predators. As such, grass, shrubs, and places under rocks provide the perfect habitats to hide and burrow.
How to Reduce Burrowing Of Rats Using Pea Gravel In Your Yard?
If you’ve noticed that rats are burrowing around your property too often, you probably are looking for a quick solution. Using the pea gravel for getting rid of rats is a great idea. Keep in mind the following guidelines to protect your home from rats:
- Using pea gravel in different areas around the outside of your house so the rats are unable to dig their tunnels is key. Thus, put a strip of gravel that’s 2 feet wide and 6 inches deep by the house foundations and walls. Separating your landscaping from the house itself by installing such a pea gravel barrier can be very effective in preventing their entry into your home.
- All vegetation should be far away from walls about 2 to 3 feet because these are the hiding places for rats.
- The vegetation should be planted at a distance from each other. Make sure there is enough space between the plants so that light can penetrate. Dense vegetation is a suitable environment for rats.
- The vegetation needs to have a ditch that’s 30 inches wide and 4 inches deep. Fill the ditch with pea gravel. This will make it virtually impossible for rats (and other small rodents) to maneuver through the ditch.
- Trim shrubs and tree limbs to allow a minimum of 12 inches of open area on the bottom. For more protection, spread some loose gravel in shrub areas to keep rats away.
- Remember to mow your lawn frequently as this will keep it free of tall grass that rats may use to hide in.
- Fill any ground tunnels or holes you can see on your property with pea gravel, as well as areas under the fence to stop rats from getting in.
- It is advisable to use the gravel everywhere around your house or building to avoid having holes. Rats and mice will only need a small space to get in your house. Thus, if you leave any area uncovered, no matter how small, it gives them leeway and nullifies your efforts.
However, oftentimes it may not be possible to cover every area of the yard with gravel. In this case, it’s best to focus specifically on the areas that rats are most likely to use to get in. If you have no idea where, look out for rat burrows. You are likely to find them under bushes and other dense vegetation.
To differentiate between rat burrows and those made by other animals, look for one main entrance along with 2 side exits. Also, check for tracks with dark greasy marks. This gives a clue that the hole may be a burrow created by rats.
Final Words,
One of the best ways to get rid of rats in your yard is to prevent them from accessing it in the first place. Thus, pea gravel comes in handy, and using it as a rat deterrent is one of the recommended methods. Pea gravel placed around the house will reduce rodent pressure as they dislike burrowing in loose gravel and therefore will move elsewhere.
On the other hand, it may prove very difficult and time-consuming to get rid of these pests once they have infested your yard. Scientists have studied most rat deterrent methods and found out that they have only short-term effects, thus, your problem might not be solved for a very long time. In this case, your best option is to contact a professional rodent control company who can help you deal with your rat problems. Our team at the Pest Patrol of San Diego has a wide range of skills, expertise, and knowledge at their disposal that allow them to successfully eliminate any type of rodent from the yard.
So if you live in Southern California, get in touch with Pest Patrol for immediate assistance and advice from a local pest control expert. Do you have other general pest control issues like ants, termites, spiders or cockroaches? We are here to help!