Rats are opportunistic eaters — they'll consume almost anything available. However, they're especially drawn to certain types of food. Unlike mice, which are primarily grain eaters, rats are true omnivores with a strong preference for protein and fat. Meat scraps, fish bones, pet food, and greasy food waste attract rats more reliably than grain alone.

Favorite Foods for Rats

• Grains and cereals: Bread, rice, pasta, oats, crackers, breakfast cereals, and flour — full of carbohydrates that rats seek for energy
• Sweets and sugary items: Candy, chocolate, cookies, and sugary drinks — high sugar content and strong scent
• Nuts and seeds: Peanuts, almonds, sunflower seeds — high in fats and proteins, rat favorites
• Fruits and vegetables: Fresh, dried, or rotten fruits and vegetables — even peels, rinds, and scraps attract rats
• Meats: Cooked, raw, or spoiled meats — especially fatty cuts — attract rats quickly due to strong smell and high protein content. This is the key difference from mice.
• Dairy products: Cheese, yogurt, butter — attractive because of fat content and strong aroma when left out
• Pet food: Dry and wet pet foods for dogs, cats, and birds — packed with proteins, fats, and grains
• Garbage and food waste: Leftover scraps, peelings, coffee grounds, eggshells, and discarded food wrappers in open or unsecured bins

Water: An Equal Attractant

Rats require significantly more water than mice — approximately 30ml per day vs. 3ml for mice. Water sources — dripping pipes, pet bowls, puddles near foundations, bird baths — are as important an attractant as food. Eliminating standing water near your home reduces rat establishment risk significantly.

The #1 Rat Attractant in NH Residential Areas

The top rat food attractant in New Hampshire residential areas is unsecured garbage — especially food waste with meat or fat content. NH homeowners with outdoor garbage cans should use cans with locking lids rated for wildlife. Standard flip-top lids are not sufficient — rats (and other wildlife common in NH) will open them.

Factors That Increase Attractiveness of Food to Rats

• Smell: The stronger the scent, the more likely rats will find it — meat, cheese, fried foods, and fruit are particularly appealing
• Availability: Easily accessible food (open packages, uncovered trash, outdoor pet bowls) is far more likely to attract rats than sealed items
• Condition: Even spoiled, moldy, or rotten food can be as attractive — decaying food has a stronger odor
• Quantity and frequency: The more food left out regularly, the higher the chance of attracting rats and making them stay

Foods Rats Are Less Interested In

• Highly spiced or bitter foods: spicy peppers, onions, garlic, and bitter vegetables are less appealing, though not a reliable deterrent
• Non-food items: plastic, metal, and glass won't attract rats for eating, though they will chew them for nest building

How to Reduce the Risk of Attracting Rats

• Store all food in sealed, rat-proof containers — glass, metal, or hard plastic with tight lids
• Clean up food spills and crumbs immediately, especially under kitchen appliances
• Dispose of garbage regularly in cans with locking lids — especially important in NH
• Don't leave pet food outside or out overnight
• Cover compost bins and never include meat, dairy, or fatty foods in open compost heaps
• Harvest ripe fruits and vegetables frequently and pick up fallen produce quickly

For persistent rat activity around your property, call Anchor Pest Services at (603) 785-0118 — same-day service across Manchester, Nashua, and Concord.

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