While rats are not on the bottom of the food chain, they are a rather skittish and very cautious creature. We often think that a rat is “hiding” from us when in fact it is not just hiding from us it is hiding from everything. Rats will even avoid other rats for the most part, unless breeding, feeding on a large score (like a piece of carrion or a bag of food), or fighting to establish domination. Rats prefer to nest in places that are not only dark and quiet, but secluded spaces that are secured from outside dangers, and hard for larger animals to maneuver. This is why it chooses boxes, underneath furniture, in the back of cabinets, or in between walls as a place to nest. It will tend to stuff the area with as much nesting material as it can find in an attempt to burrow in the nest and effectively hide. Rats have very sensitive eyes, ears, and noses. Bright lights will effectively blind a rat for all intensive purposes.



These same lights can screw up their vision, and hurt their eyes. Loud sounds not only frighten a rat, but can also cause them to suffer great distress or even lapse in to seizures. Ultra high pitches of sounds can be so intense that it will drive the rat away with the pain. A Rats sense of smell is so acute that it can actually become physically ill if exposed to strong odors found in some spices, air fresheners, cleaners, soaps, or perfumes. Certain Smells like hot pepper, cinnamon, and ammonia can irritate the delicate skin in the rat’s nasal passages. This sensation can be so strong that the rat leaves the area to avoid exposure to the harsh smell. It does not like wide-open spaces. It cannot bear to be anywhere it feels vulnerable or exposed. This is why a rat will hug a wall and dart under the edges of furniture and other obstacles if running through your home or down an alleyway.

Rats are very small in comparison to a human, and so we frighten them with our size. We appear big, loud, and aggressive to a rat. By the positioning of our eyes, it knows that we are predators. This makes them very wary (for the rat has no way of knowing that we will not eat them). The next time you come face to face with a rat, rather than screaming, perhaps you should remember that it is more afraid of you that you should be of it. Watch which direction the rat runs. This could help you find its nest or entryway and aid in your eradication plans.

Read the How to get rid of rats page for helpful information and to learn more about Do rats hide from humans?

Do rats hide from humans?