Rats, the kind that run on all fours, are sometimes a problem for Rodgers Forge homeowners and the best way to get rid of them is to deny them food, water and comfort.
The biggest attraction for rats is the food that attracts and supports them in and around your area. Look for and eliminate all possible rat food. They feed on garbage, leftover pet food and feces. You need to make sure you have rodent-proof containers and tightly fitting lids on your trash cans and do not set out plastic bags except on collection day. Food denial is the key.
If you have a compost pile, do not add food scraps, vegetables, fruit, garbage or animal waste to the pile.
Remove fallen and freshly ripened fruit or vegetables from gardens. Keep bird and animal feed off the ground and do not leave scraps or pet food out for squirrels and feral animals. Remove pet feces from your yard every day.
Look for harborages on your slopes and alongside buildings, fences, sheds and low decks. Rat holes are about the size of a tennis ball and they will also live under piles of debris.
Snap traps and poison baits work well in rat elimination but you must be careful that poison bait is not accessible to pets or children and you surely don’t want to “catch” them as well. Use gloved hands when removing rate carcasses.
Finally, if you know that nearby homes or businesses such as sandwich shops and the like are attracting rats thanks to poor disposal of garbage, contact County Environmental Health at 410-887-4065. If you think a neighbor is causing the problem, how about talking to them and sharing information?
Legally, pet owners must clean up their pet waste with regularity. Out pets' waste is a last resort for hungry rats.
ReplyDeleteHopefully our fellow Rodgers Forge neighbors are not putting their pets' feces in their compost pile, right?
Prevention is definitely better than elimination. We were horrified that one made a home in our house last winter -- all because of one loose brick. In addition to the advice here, MAKE SURE there are no gaps in bricks around your foundation. Remediation has been expensive.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good advice.
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