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.
- Sign up now for daily CTV News Ottawa newsletters
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
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.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
ANALYSIS Will Donald Trump go to prison? What the precedent says
Now that the jury in Donald Trump's criminal trial has made the historic decision to convict him, the judge overseeing the case will soon face a monumental choice: whether to sentence the 2024 Republican presidential candidate to time behind bars.
The northern lights are returning to night skies across Canada this Friday
If you missed the brilliant displays of the aurora borealis over North America on May 10, you may have another chance to see them on Friday night.
A pair enjoyed pricey meals and bolted when it was time to pay. Their dine and dash ended in jail
A Welsh couple who dined out on pricey meals and bolted when the bill came is now paying the price, behind bars.
Here's what you should know about Donald Trump's conviction in his hush money trial
Donald Trump’s conviction on 34 felony counts marks the end of the former president’s historic hush money trial, but the fight over the case is far from over.
Montreal tech billionaire charged with several sex offences
Robert Miller was charged Thursday with several sexual assault charges after Montreal police reopened an investigation into the tech billionaire.
'Why didn't they stop?' Mom asks of driver in hit-and-run crash that killed son
The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was killed in a hit-and-run in Edmonton is begging the driver to come forward.
Police: 3 killed, including suspected gunman, in Minneapolis shooting
Three people, including the suspected gunman, are dead after a shooting Thursday at a Minneapolis apartment complex, police said.
$400K in damages for B.C. woman who had unnecessary mastectomy was 'inordinately high,' court finds
A jury's award of $400,000 to a woman who had a mastectomy after being misdiagnosed with breast cancer has been substantially reduced by B.C.'s highest court, which found the damages were "wholly disproportionate."
Can Trump come to Canada now that he's a convicted felon?
A Canadian immigration lawyer says now that Donald Trump is a convicted felon, he is technically barred from crossing the border into Canada.