Why get rid of rats?

Is rat extermination really needed?

While we would probably all admit they are a little bit cute, the damage that rodents will inevitably cause to your home, business and Aotearoa’s native wildlife far outweighs the cuteness factor. So, unless his name is Stuart and he is your little friend, or Remy and he’s cooking you ratatouille in the kitchen, it’s in your best interest to take action to help prevent the extreme damage that rodents can cause.

Owen Stobart, a pest controller in urban Auckland, says he often observes a skewed picture of people’s understanding of the importance of rodent control, and how to do it most effectively.

Let’s take a closer look.

What types of damage can rodents cause?

The damage caused by rodents can vary from minor to potentially lethal - they may be lil’ but they sure are mighty! And no matter the scale of damage, you’re going to end up burning a hole in your wallet to fix it.

Minor level damage caused by rodents can often initially go unnoticed but will spread and get worse over time. The insulation under your house, in the walls, and in the ceiling serve as a perfectly warm and cozy nesting ground for rodents - once they rip the insulation to shreds, that is. “This often results in the insulation being pulled down, so it no longer functions to effectively warm your home” says Owen.

Sadly, you can consider yourself lucky if it’s just the insulation they are after. Some rodents will chew live 240 volt wires, just for a bit of fun on a Friday night. That’s right, the rodent will chew down to the bare copper, get a 240-volt shock, and then do it again… and again… and (you get the picture). “I find myself looking at all these bare, exposed copper wires, shaking my head and thinking, what kind of animal does this for fun?”  While we may never be able to wrap our heads around the why, the fact of the matter is that rodents chewing wires in your home or business is an extremely dangerous fire risk.

And now for the grand finale – plastic water mains pipes! While we humans generally go for a stick of gum, mice will go for your water pipes to satisfy their habitual chewing habits. Owen says chewing plastic water pipes is “a pleasant past time for them, but when the water starts coming out like a fountain, it’s not so good for you.” Floods in attic spaces, walls, floors, kitchens, bathrooms are all a possibility if you’ve got those furry little mice traversing your home or business.

Not so cute anymore, huh?

How do I know if I have a rodent issue? As the most common rat in NZ is the roof rat people hear them first before seeing them. This as the Roof rat is very shy and will do anything not to meet you and your family. The second most common sign is people then find rat dirt in the attic.

What can I do about it?

You can of course always call up Owen at Aces Pest Control (or your local pest controller) to come and handle the situation for you, but if you’d like to try taking matters into your own hands first, it’s actually more achievable than you might think.

Owen suggests learning from the best, Dr Bobby Corrigan, an Urban Rodentologist (a.k.a superstar of pest control), who runs the New York City Rat Academy. (Ps. if you’re still on the fence about the importance of rodent control, hopefully the fact that there is a dedicated Academy for it will hit the message home).

While you may not be as lucky as Owen and get to travel to the Big Apple to see Bobby in action, you can still learn from him and act yourself. Bobby’s take-home message is that you have to identify three key areas to defeat any rodent issue: 1) their access points, 2) their nests, and most importantly, 3) their smudge marks or sebum trails. “All you need is a keen eye, a bright torch and a bit of determination” says Owen. Bobby stressed in is Academy that sebum trails are most important. This is the area they frequent every night. What does a sebum trail look like? Like someone has smeared vegemite on rafter or pipe. A dark brown smear, you get the picture now!

Once you’ve found these three key areas, you will need to decide how to control (destroy), repel, or block out the rodents. The two main controls are mechanical traps and rat baits.  If using mechanical traps, place them on the sebum trials UNSET for 7 days to let the rats get use to them. If using bait you need to again look for the key areas for placement. Remember to exclude non-target animals from your controls.

The reason that you’re doing all this? To avoid a major flood in your home from chewed pipes! Yes, pest controllers routinely see hundreds of thousands of dollars of damage from floods. Costly damage to your home e.g. insulation and most importantly you and your family’s health. Remember rats carry terrible diseases.

So next time you’re sitting down having a cuppa, why not search Bobby Corrigan on YouTube and watch a video or two. Then, when your battle plan is ready, be sure to not forget to wear some protective gear while you’re working out what the furry invaders are doing. Owen suggests that gloves and knee pads are the minimum that you should use.

Rat pest control is essential

So, there you have it – being vigilant about rodents in your home and business will not only save you time and money in the long run, it will also bring peace of mind to your daily life as one less thing you have to worry about. Plus, for an added bonus, you will also be contributing to the survival of many of our native wildlife species as rodents not only prey on them but compete for food with them too. And, let’s be honest, kiwi chicks are by far cuter than rats and mice.

 

Original text by Samantha Hess, Predator free NZ  edited by Samantha Hess, Predator free NZ  and  Owen Stobart ACES pest control