| Reports of Rats Around Guemes Island | |
700 S. 2nd Street Room #301, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 360).336.9380 |
The Skagit County Health Department recently received complaint of a rat problem in the vicinity mentioned above. Rats are present in the area in high numbers and seem to be looking for additional areas to live. This could be caused by a general increase in the population or may have been caused by the loss of a food source or habitat. Either way some of the residents in your neighborhood have been experiencing a marked increase in rats found in and around their properties. Rats thrive only where there is food and shelter available. While garbage is seen as a primary food source: animal feeds, pet foods, bird feeders, fallen fruit and improperly stored food are just a few of the often over looked sources of food for rats. Pet foods need to be stored in a manner that will not allow rats to help themselves. I have used a small clean trash can with lid to store pet food; they are inexpensive and designed to keep rodents out. Pets should only be given as much food as they will consume at one time. Consider feeding smaller amounts more often rather than one large amount that may remain uneaten during the day or overnight. Improper composting can also provide an excellent food source for rats. Bird and squirrel feeders if build incorrectly or allowed to spill onto the ground also become rat feeders if not maintained properly. In addition to household garbage, piles of waste material and junk vehicles provide excellent shelter for rodents. The combination of accessible food, water and shelter is an open invitation for rats to move into an area and thrive. Some rats will also move into new areas if their home territory is disturbed. A migration of this sort can be caused by construction, demolition, harvesting or extermination efforts being made in their home territory. This can explain how rats suddenly show up in a new area and can catch home owners by surprise. Skagit County Code (section 12.16.220) requires garbage to be stored in water-tight, rodent-resistant containers with close fitting lids, and requires garbage to be removed from the premises at least once every two weeks. Such violations are subject to a fine of $200 per day. The only way to rid yourself of rats is to deny them food and shelter to encourage the resident population to leave and trap or kill the ones that will not leave. Trapping and use of poison can be used effectively to reduce any that are persistent in an area. If you are using poison follow manufacturers' directions and make sure that it is inaccessible to pets and small children. A professional exterminator may be needed in some cases. Please look around your area and remove anything that may be an attractant to rats. Enclosed is information on rats that may be of use. You may contact me at 336-9380 if you would like to discuss potential sources of food and shelter on your property or problems in your neighborhood concerning garbage handling. Thank you.
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The roof rat, Rattus rattus, is slender and agile, and the tail is longer than the head and body. Roof rats will enter buildings if given the opportunity, and often use utility lines and fences as runways. Roof rats prefer to feed on fruits, nuts, ivy, and pet food commonly found in residential areas. Roof rats are smaller and sleeker in appearance then the Norway rat. Their ears are larger, and their nose comes to a more pronounced point . Whereas Norway rats live in burrows or under floors, Roof rats prefer to live in areas elevated above the ground. Theoretically, one female rat could have from 3 to 6 litters of 6 - 10 offspring per year. In other words, one adult female could be responsible for 320 million descendents within a period of three years. The Norway rat, Rattus norvegicus, is generally found in agricultural areas, creeks, sewers, and developed neighborhoods. The Norway rat is larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. Its eyes and ears are smaller than the roof rat's and the tail is shorter than the combined head and body length. This species usually lives in underground burrows, and feeds on garbage, pet food, cereal grains and vegetables. |
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What to do to control and avoid rats. |
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• Eliminate the food source – Secure garbage, limit pet food and secure food, pick-up fallen fruit, keep ground around bird feeders clean & secure. • Remove harborage – Store fire wood 18” off of the ground, use rodent resistant containers to store items in (fitted lids on plastic bins) and store off of the ground, pick-up piled debris from around buildings, basements and garages, keep areas under sinks clean and uncluttered. • Build them out – Look for and secure entry points into buildings • Trap - Cheapest and most effective way to catch rats. Use plenty of traps so that you catch the rats before they recognize and avoid the traps. • Poison – Very effective and low effort method of rat control. Follow label directions exactly. Not recommended in cases of heavy infestations. Rats may die in areas that are not desired. Place bait in areas where rats will feel secure and safe eating i.e. near woodpiles, garbage cans and along edges i.e. fence rows and sides of buildings. Placing a simple bait stations along the perimeter of your property can reduce number of rats that make it into your residence. Suspending a water-proof bait block inside of a 15”-20” PVC pipe (4”– 6” diameter) and laying this along a neighboring fence line or the side of a building will encourage rats to visit this first (prior to entering your residence) and the bait is typically out of reach to the weather, pets and small children. |
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Bucket Trap Nick Dexter has reported a simple and effective rattrap widely adopted by the Zimbabwe farmers for control of rats. Nick Dexter says that he caught 934 rats with 9 traps in 21 days. Mr. Shekhon, who worked in Namibia and now with the Punjab Agro Industries, says that he tried the trap in Sangrur and it works very well. It is very simple to make the rat trap. To make the trap you need a 20-litre bucket or large clay pot, which holds water. Bury this in the ground near known rat holes or leading sites. Take a dry maize cob and cut off the ends. Push through it a thick wire, which is one meter long. Make sure the cob can spin freely. Fasten the cob in position in the center of the wire. Bend the wire as shown and push firmly into the ground on either side of the bucket. Put a depth of 15cm of water in the bucket. Each evening, coat the corn cob with peanut butter, wetted flour or some other kind of food which will stick to the cob. Remove drowned rats each morning. The trap works best during the new moon. |
