Rats prefer places that are warm, dark, and out of sight. Areas such as under floors, inside attic spaces, the back of warehouses, and behind stored materials are extremely comfortable environments for rats.

Rats are omnivores, feeding on a wide variety of things including grains, animal feed, kitchen scraps, and food waste. They will readily consume not only human food but also pet food and livestock feed.
It is also said that rats eat roughly one-third of their own body weight in food per day — in short, they eat a great deal. The more plentiful the food source, the more likely they are to settle in and stay for the long term.
Livestock facilities and pig farms that handle feed are particularly attractive environments for rats, and require special attention.

The main reasons rats move into human living areas and livestock facilities are the availability of food, places to hide, and the absence of natural predators.
Areas that are not well managed, or where many objects are stored, become safe and comfortable shelters for rats.

Rats do more than just gnaw on objects — they also carry mites, fleas, pathogens, and viruses. They can spread bacteria through their bodies, droppings, and urine, creating deteriorating sanitary conditions and a risk of infectious disease.
In livestock facilities, this poses a serious concern for both animal health management and hygiene control. Left unchecked, rat infestations can lower the overall sanitary level of a facility and lead to unexpected and costly problems.