rats
Rats & Mice
Last updated: Feb-2004
Including:
- Roof Rats (alias: Black Rat, Tree Rat)
- Norwegian Rats (alias: Sewer Rat, Brown Rat, Wharf Rat)
- Mice
What You Can Do
- Thin or remove possible shelter, such as ivy
- Re-landscape using ground covers that do not encourage rats or mice
- Keep premises clean - no pet food, bird seed, dropped fruits or nuts, trash
- Stack firewood off the ground and away from the house
- Close all access points into the house (rodents have the ability to squeeze through small holes!)
- Traps
- Poisons
What Doesn’t Work
- Although electronic, sound, magnetic, or vibration devices are perfectly legal, they are not effective methods of control.
Resources
- The House Mouse: Prevention and Control, Illinois Department of Public Health
- Rodents, Santa Clara County Vector Control
Rats, Ground Cover Recommendations
Last updated: Feb-2004
Don’t Harbor Roof Rats in your Ground Cover
Algerian Ivy (Hedera canariensis) is one of several plant species that harbor roof rats in the Bay Area (see list below). Wherever possible these plants should be replaced with species that achieve the desirable effects of ground cover but will not contribute to the rat problem. Such desirable characteristics include the following:
- Plants should be low growing, not more than 10” in height.
- They should not be climbers.
- Fruiting plants should not be used.
- Plants should provide soil stabilization.
- Plants should require a minimum of water once established.
- Once established, plants should be properly maintained.
The following partial list of ground cover substitutes conforms to these criteria and others may be discovered as you plan your landscaping:
