How to deal with rats on your property

Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with an unprecedented rat infestation and are asking the city to step in and help.

This comes after dozens of rats took over Kylia White and her husband Kelly O’Neill’s property over the past couple of months.

"Thousands of dollars of property is being destroyed, like thousands," White told CTV News Ottawa’s Dave Charbonneau Monday.

Here's what you need to know about rat infestations:

Rats typically come out when they feel safe, according to Jason Constantini, service manager from Orkin Canada.

"If you're seeing them during the day, that usually means there's a larger infestation than a smaller infestation," Constantini told CTV Morning Live's Stefan Keyes Wednesday morning.

Some areas are more infested than others, said Constantini, citing multiple factors, including sanitation and construction in the area.

He notes that infestation picks up in the spring or fall compared to winter.

Constantini shared some tips to deal with the issue.

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Look for evidence

Although you may have already seen rats, he suggests looking for further evidence such as droppings around the foundation and runways of the house.

Clean up

"If you do see the droppings, you may need to clean them," he said.

The more clutter you remove, the better, he said, noting that rats shelter under clutter and hidden areas.

He suggests keeping your grass short, having the bushes away from the house and most importantly, having the neighbours on board with you.

Starve them

Get rid of the feeding sources, such as putting the garbage out close to the time it’s getting picked up and always closing your garbage bins.

He notes that the bird feeder is also an issue when it comes to feeding rats, suggesting the use of specialized devices to remove the seeds.

Shut them out

This is the most important step, according to Constantini.

"This is called exclusion," he said. They can use a hole maybe the size of a quarter to get into the foundation.

While you can seal the open area leading to the foundation of your house by yourself, there are companies specialized to do this kind of work, he notes.

There are many materials that can be used to seal open areas, such as cement, he says.

Wipe them out

While there are a lot of laws and stipulations in place around the use of chemicals to wipe rats out, Constantini suggests hiring professional pest control companies.

"Each place is a very unique situation and is treated as such," he said.