Will rats emerge in light or stay hidden?

Let's get one thing straight - rats come out at all times of the day. Day / night, it doesn't matter. If they wake up and get hungry, they'll go hunting and foraging for food. Seeing a rat during the day is quite a rare occurrence, but it's not something that you should be overly alarmed about. It doesn't mean that the rats are starting to evolve, they have always been this way.

Rats will spend a huge portion of their day sleeping, as much as 75% of the daylight time in some cases, but they don't do this in one go. They don't go to sleep at 6am in the morning, and then wake up a few hours later. They nap - sleeping here and there, whenever they feel a bit sleepy. They are actually quite active throughout the other 25%. As well as playing and hanging out with the other rats in their group, they'll also eat a little, perhaps groom a little too, and if they can fin the time, they'll mate. They mate all year round, day or night, whenever the mood takes them. They are this way about a lot of things too - they'll pee and drop their waste matter whenever and wherever they want, they'll sleep when and where they want, and they'll break into whatever house they want too. They pretty much have the rule of the roost if you don't take action and make sure they can't be left to live that way.

If there is a good and steady source of food, rats will keep going back to it, time and time again. They will hoard their food too, much in the same way that hamsters do, creating a little stash that will save them when they run out of food later on. This will be enough to encourage the rats to wake up from their napping and head out throughout the day, and is probably why you are seeing them during the day. Although mostly nocturnal, there are quite a few things that will wake them from their daytime cat-naps.

As well as a large stash of food, a disturbance in their nest would be enough to wake them up and drive them to head out and about. Seeing more rats throughout the day could also be a sign of a much bigger rat infestation than you first may have thought too. These are all things that you will definitely want to take into account, and that's also why you should do something about it as soon as you see that you have rats in your building.

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As per nature, rats are nocturnal creatures. This means that they come out of their hiding places during the night. They utilize the morning part of the day to sleep. They spend 2/3 part of their day sleeping although they sleep in breaks and do not take continuous undisturbed naps. They are more active and can use their senses better at night. 

It is usually during the night when people spot rats in their houses. If it were the same case for you, chances are that you are dealing with a case of a rat infestation. If you see a rat, it means that there was some source of food that lured in the rat. The reality is that rats often come out of their hiding place in breaks to search for food and other items. So, it goes back and forth to search and bring back any source of food it can gather. It then consumes some and stores some for later.

Rats are most active during the night because of their nocturnal habits. If, however, you spot them during the day, it means that something could be wrong. Witnessing such a sight is nothing short of a nightmare for you-the homeowners. It rings alarm bells.

If you see rats out during the day, it translates into only one thing. It means that their current hiding place is disturbed and they are looking for a new place to move. It means nothing but bad news for you as you might be the new homeowner that is hosting these rodents. If you see these rats anywhere near your property, it is a confirmation that they are coming for your house. If such is a case, you should perform an inspection of your house to be on the safe side and to make sure it is not at risk.

There are many reasons why they choose to shift locations. It could mean their place was discovered or attacked by other predators, but regardless of the reason, it means that they are on the lookout for a new place to take under their wing and call it home. If there has been extra-human activity at your place, chances are that is what provoked them to find a new shelter. 

Rats have a hierarchy structure and pattern that they follow. This means that there are dominant rats that have control over the smaller rats. Usually, the larger rats stay in their hiding places while the smaller rats are sent out to find food during the day. This means that if you spotted a rat, there are usually more hiding somewhere.

Spotting rats during the day is not a good sign and usually signals something larger behind it. There is a reason why rats have chosen to leave the safety of their nests. In such a case, it is best to not panic and instead perform a thorough regular inspection to avoid dire consequences. If you spot holes, it is best to seal them and then place bait on snap traps to catch the rats.