is it true that fruit trees draw rats ?

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Nattaty25

Hmm no I don't think so...we have fruit trees an no rats.

You have rats. You just don't know you have rats. Any food outside will draw wildlife like rats, raccoons, and such. Coyotes will keep the rat population in check, and most cities have a good number of coyotes.

[mlulu23]

Rats really like Hubbard squash. Their tactic is to chew a hole in the side, climb in, and eat it from the inside out, lol. That can be a real surprise if you pick up a squash not knowing a rat is inside. They also love strawberries along with everybody else. This was in Sequim, Wa. I never saw a single rabbit, and very few squirrels there, but the Norway rat is a happy resident. They also like to climb under the hood of your car for warmth, and chew your wires.

[Pyewackette]

If they do, I've never noticed them. We had 2 crab apples, a full size cherry, a full size apple tree, a quince that had been trained to a tree form, a mulberry tree, 2 grape vines, some bramble fruit, and a large garden. If it "drew rats and mice" I never saw any of them. The fruit trees sure did draw the birds though, especially the cherry and the mulberry.

No, you are not going to be over run with rats even if you don't pick up the dropped fruit. I would pick it up anyway just because there is nothing quite so unpleasant as getting spattered with rotten apple when you run the lawn mower over one, LOL!