Do Rats Hide From Humans?

The average person recognizes that there are a lot of rats around them at a given time, even if you don’t want to accept it. If you are concerned about a rat in your home or other building, then you will probably want to know whether or not rats hide from humans. The short answer is yes, to some extent.



Why Rats Hide
Rats hide from humans for the same reason they would hide from any predator in the wild; they know that we pose a threat. Even as we are notoriously afraid of rats, they are also afraid, or at least cautious, of us. Remember that these animals are fairly intelligent so they will know to take steps and avoid predators, whether those are humans or wild animals.

Of course, part of the reason it may feel as if rats are hiding from you comes down to their activity. Rats are naturally more active at night than during the day. Since humans are active during the day, your paths are unlikely to cross, increasing the feeling that the rats are hiding from you.

Where Rats Hide
In most cases, rats will choose a spot to hide that isn’t used very often since this is the safest. They also tend to opt for dark areas as a preference. Remember that rats can fit through a hole as small as a quarter so anything this big or larger is fair game. Within the average house, it is common to find rats hiding behind walls within the home, but particularly in the attic. They may also go behind appliances like your refrigerator and tend to like crawlspaces. Similarly, they may go behind furniture like cabinets or in the back of a closet.

How Do You Know Rats Are Hiding?
If the rats are hiding from you, then you may not have many clues that they are definitely in your home. Even so, rats aren’t able to hide all evidence. Among the most common indications of a rat are droppings, damage, and noises. Rats will make noises from scurrying around and the occasional squeak or other sound for communication. They also have no way to hide their droppings; you are most likely to find them by walls or rat nests, although rat droppings may be anywhere. Damage like small holes made from tearing or biting are also good indications that a rat is in your home and hiding from you.