Our mind immediately pictures the news report heard on the radio “ Home condemned due to rat infestation . Animal Control estimates 250 rats in house .” As the panic sets in and our mind drifts to the worst case scenario , please … let ’ s take a deep breath . The rat running along a back fence is something that should trigger a reaction , but it need not be panic .

Rats are members of a family of rodents called “ commensal rodents ”. Derived from Latin origins , commensal means “ eating at the same table ”. In California , we have three commensal rodents . Roof rats ( Rattus rattus ), Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) and the House Mouse ( Mus musculus ) rounds out the terrible trio . The most common problem rodent in an HOA and the likely suspect running along the back fence is the Roof Rat .

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Roof rats are slender long rats that are the most common in southern California . We find them in our fruit and nut trees , sheds , attics , sub-areas , garages , and under the hoods of our parked vehicles . They can cause extensive damage to homes and landscape and leave behind odors and contamination . Roof rats are very agile climbers and can run up and down stucco walls , across cable lines and vines , and are also quite comfortable in sewer and storm drain lines .

People often don ’ t realize that they are surrounded by rats . Roof rats live in green belts , common area slopes , under decks and Jacuzzis , in palm trees and large birds of paradise plants and any other cluttered or overgrown area . It ’ s a simple reality that if you live in southern California you are surrounded by rats . As these rats encroach on the HOA property , looking for food and harborage , they can become visible and cause a stir . But even if not visible , they are there all the time . In a best case scenario a rodent program will mitigate and reduce a rat population without the homeowners even noticing the presence of rats .

At one association I recently calculated that our rodent bait stations had killed 50-60 rats per month … every month … for nine years ! The point is that a good program will help keep the population of rats down in the HOA property but the rats will always keep coming . There is an endless supply of hungry rats out in the wild that are just waiting in line to “ eat at the same table .”

So , how do you keep Roof Rats from causing trouble in your community ? Rodent prevention requires a cooperative effort between management , homeowners and your pest company . Here are my suggestions :

1 . Hire a competent , accountable pest company . A good pest program should consist of the well thought out installation of rodent prevention equipment as well as a map showing the equipment location . The rodent stations should be monitored and refilled and their service documented at least monthly . Your pest company should be willing to provide a copy of the map to management and willing to meet with the board or management to discuss the effectiveness of the program and any adjustments that might need to be made to mitigate recent encroachments . actively forage for seeds and nuts . Bird seed in a back yard for a rat is like a free seafood buffet at a fancy restaurant for me … everything I need to feed me and keep me coming back every night . There are “ rat proof ” bird feeders that keep rats from climbing on the feeder itself , but that is not the real problem . The bird seed that gets kicked or spilled on the ground by the birds during the day is the irresistible buffet for the rats at night . It ’ s almost impossible to effectively control a rat population in a back yard that is feeding rats ( oops , I mean birds ).

3 . Keep your barbeque grill clean . The drippings and food debris in a barbeque provide a great attractant for rats . Then , the barbeque itself provides a great winter home . Every year we receive dozens of calls about the first barbeque of the spring that is ruined by a rat nest on the cooking surface .

4 . Don ’ t leave dog and cat food outside . We frequently use dog food as a bait to catch rats because we know that every night they are walking up to the dog bowl and helping themselves . If your dog or cat doesn ’ t finish its food , put it inside for the night .

If you leave hole the size of a quarter , a juvenile rat can make it inside . He may then chew the hole bigger , so his mom and dad can move in too . In the fall and winter , as the weather cools , rats will be more inclined to encroach on your house to make themselves ’ comfortable in a nice warm garage .

7 . Keep trash cans and dumpster lids closed tightly . Reducing the amount of food made easily available , reduces the amount of encroaching rodents .

8 . Be careful about doing your own pest control . Although there are products available over the counter , their correct use is very , very important . Studies have indicated that 96 % of rodenticide poisonings are due to improper use of rodent poisons . We recommend the use of snap traps and other non-poison options . If you do have to use rodenticide bait , make sure it is contained in a tamper proof bait station and the instructions on the label are followed to the letter .

Jim Shaver , is the Founder , President and CEO of Antbusters , Inc . a full service pest company based in Carlsbad , CA . Specializing in the hotel / resort industry and homeowners associations , Antbusters , Inc . services more than 120 hotels and 75 homeowners associations in southern California including 4 of the top 100 hotels in the world .

Jim holds several professional licenses including the Structural Pest Control Board Operator ’ s License , the Dept . of Pesticide Regulation QAL license as well as an undergraduate Degree in Finance from the University of Arizona and a Master ’ s Degree in Business Administration from San Diego State University . In 2007 Jim received national recognition as one of Pest Control Magazine ’ s three national Pest Management Professional Innovators of the year .

Jim lives in Carlsbad , CA with his wife Rachel and two children , Owen and Gillian .

Ant Busters Pest Elimination 6965 El Camino Real # 105-535 Carlsbad , CA 92009

( 760 ) 804-5748 JShaver @ AntBusters . net www . AntBusters . com