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"Ratatouille" was a darling little movie about a rat who longed to be a chef. The message was great. Dare to be different and go for what you never thought you could accomplish. But a wild rat making a home in a restaurant or any other establishment, including a house is bad news folks. Growing up the daughter of a licensed exterminator, we never had infestation of any kind. My father knew the things to do to keep pests at bay and how to get rid of them when they came around. These tips were not whispered in my ear on my wedding day or even when we purchased our first home. They came in the form of a shout when the war for our home began.

Feed them and they will come. This applies to most vermin, especially the rat. Since rats are not particular, feeding them may be easier than you think, and providing a comfy home even simpler. Kids drop food in the strangest places, a piece of apple in the floor, then they step on it and squish it into the floor board crack. They drop a few cheerios into the heat vent. They shove half eaten pizza slices under their bed. You do the best you can to keep you house clean. However, how often do you really go digging in the vent for lost fruit loops or even know they are in there? Clean up all food messes as quickly as possible, especially under beds, in closets and in vents. Keep pet food stored in a plastic container with a tight lid. Do not overfill indoor waste baskets. Have enough outdoor trash cans to house all of your trash. Make sure they are in tact with no cracks or holes and have well-fitted lids. Rats are seasoned climbers and one tiny hole will become a passage way to food in no time.

Close it off. We did not purchase a shiny new house. Our home came with many kinks to work out. We had a crawl space with a shoddy ply board door absent a latch. We were missing half a concrete wall under our front porch. We had entryways everywhere inviting rodents in. Repair these problems immediately! Do it your self or hire someone else to crawl under your house and find the problems you cannot see from the outside. Barricade all access holes to your home with thick wood, metal or concrete if possible. Fill in and cover holes in concrete walls including steps and foundation.

Keep it dry. Mice and other vermin covet dark damp places. Our first sign of trouble came when our sump pump broke. We were unaware of this until the stagnant smell crept into our bathroom. By then, all kinds of creatures had taken up residence under our house.

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