ABOUT RAT CONTROL IN ALBERTA Alberta s Rat Free Status: What does it mean? What does Alberta s Rat-Free Status really mean? It means that there is no resident population of rats here in Alberta. They are not allowed to establish themselves in this province. It doesn t mean that we never get rats. Occasionally small infestations are found in Alberta. The difference is that when found, the rats are isolated and eradicated through proven control methods. Why Rat Control? Albertans have always enjoyed living without the menace of rats. In 1950, when rats arrived overland from Eastern Canada, the provincial rat control program was established to ensure rats didn t become established in Alberta. Norway rats are well known to be extremely destructive creatures. The economic losses they cause to stored and in-field crops, the destruction of property, and their effects on human health have been widely documented for decades. Losses caused by rats can be divided into three categories: Losses to food stuffs - consumption and contamination. Damage caused by gnawing and tunneling. Disease transmission. Public health concerns of rat spread diseases such as C-difficile, e-coli, Lepstospirosis, Rat Bite Fever, and Superbug bacteria are a few pathogens spread by rats.
About the Rat Patrol Program Alberta continues to be the only rat free jurisdiction in the world something Albertans can take great pride in. Through the vigilance of farmers, municipalities and counties, pest control officers, and the government s rat control staff, rats have been prevented from becoming established in Alberta, ensuring that we retain our rat free status. The province has control agreements with the participating Counties and Municipal Districts within the Rat Control Zone along the Saskatchewan border and provides funding of $286,000 to these rural municipalities to deliver the Rat and Rabies Control Programs. Alberta also purchases the bait for this program at a cost of approximately $60,000 annually. Also, the province provides $11.5 million per year to the 70 Agricultural Service Boards to enforce legislation related to weeds, pests, and soil conservation.
Rat Control Zone The Rat Control Zone is a geographical area covering the first 29 kilometres west of the Alberta/Saskatchewan border. The Zone falls within the following districts/counties: Cypress County, MD of Acadia, Special Areas 2, 3, and 4, MD of Provost, MD of Wainwright, County of Vermillion River, and MD of Bonnyville. The rat control program provides grants to municipalities to monitor this control zone along the Alberta/Saskatchewan border. Each county or municipal district hires a Pest Control Officer(s) who inspect farms, buildings, and other potential rat harborage sites in the Rat Control Zone. All potential rat harborage sites are inspected at least yearly for rat activity. Any sign of rats found has control measures implemented. Bait is given to property owners in the Zone to set out for preventative rat control measures.
Checking an old barn for rats in the Rat Control Zone.
RATS - WHAT TO LOOK FOR: What is a rat? NORWAY RAT, BROWN RAT, SEWER RAT Approximately 22 cm body length, light brown, small ears, tail not as long as body. ROOF RAT, BLACK RAT, SHIP RAT Approximately 20 cm body length, dark brown, large ears, tail longer than body.
A rat is a domestic rodent of the Rattus species. There are more than 12 species of rattus, but only the Norway and Roof rats threaten Alberta s rat free status.
What Is NOT a Norway and Roof rat? We have native species of rodents that are called rats, like the Bushy Tailed Wood rat and the Ord s Kangaroo rat that are beneficial species and should not to be considered a detrimental rat. Other animals often misidentified as rats include the following: RED SQUIRREL Body approximately 18 cm long.
What Is NOT a Norway and Roof rat? RICHARDSON GROUND SQUIRREL Body approximately 25 cm long with tiny ears, large eyes, and bushy tail. POCKET GOPHER Body approximately 15 cm long. NOTE cheek pouches and claws, with short tail.
What Is NOT a Norway and Roof rat? MUSKRAT Body approximately 30 cm long. NOTE large toe nails on hind feet. WOOD MOUSE Body approximately 8 cm long. Big ears, big eyes, long & thin tail.
What Is NOT a Norway and Roof rat? VOLE Body approximately 10 cm long. Small ears, big eyes, short tail. BUSHY TAILED WOOD RAT Body approximately 20 cm long. Big ears, bushy tail.
RECOGNIZING RAT PRESENCE - WHAT TO LOOK FOR: Burrows and Runways The cylindrical burrow entrance of a Norway rat in soil, straw or hay bales measures about 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches). Unlike native rodents, the burrow entrance of a rat is clean of debris and excavated soil particles. Rats leave well-beaten trails about 5 centimetres (2 inches) wide from their nest areas to food and water sources. Rats often dig lengthy travel runs under objects such as bales, planks, granaries, plyboard and even idle machinery to move from area to area. Rat hole with clean area around it and ground packed. Burrows and rat activity beside old grain bin and newer grain bin.
5 cm rat hole. Clean rat hole.
Rat runway in grass. Rat activity in a garbage pit.
Wall and Floor Holes The average size of the circular-shaped rat hole in walls and floors is 5 to 7.5 cm (2 to 3 inches) in diameter, but can be considerably larger, depending upon the material. Rats will make holes in walls or floors soon after invasion wall holes are usually just inches above the floor. Holes in floors are generally close to walls or undersupporting skids or poles. Rat holes and rat activity.
Gnawing Rats must chew continuously to wear down incisor teeth (front teeth) that grow an amazing 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 inches) per year. Most often, rats will chew materials close by such as plywood, structural woodwork, plastic panelling, frozen ground and even concrete. Rat chewing and gnawing.
Droppings Rats produce up to 25,000 droppings per year, so they can usually be detected if they have been present for even a short time. Rat droppings are blunt at both ends and the shape and size of an olive pit, measuring 1.25 to 1.5 cm (0.5 to 0.75 inches), and shiny black (Figure 5). Droppings fade in time and soon turn to grey-white. Rat droppings on a board. Figure 5. Actual size of mice droppings (left) versus rat droppings (right).
Nests and Caches Norway rats are ground dwellers, so their nests and caches are built on or below ground level. The nest of a rat can consist of almost any material, usually food remains and other available items such as paper, straw, cardboard, rags or shredded plastic bags. Rats may horde and cache food, which may or may not be eaten. Odors and Smudges The distinctive, musky odor of rats can be easily detected, particularly if rats are confined to a small area. The oily hair of a rat leaves noticeable smudge marks on trails or hole entrances. The combination of oily hair, dust and dirt results in obvious dark-stained surfaces.
Preventative Rat Control Methods Rat infestations can be prevented by any of three methods: food source removal, rat shelter removal, rat proofing. Food Source Removal: Because rats are capable of eating almost anything, it is important to remove all possible food items such as garbage, empty food containers, spilled grain or feed. Keep pet food secure and clean up uneaten food. Keep domestic garbage in containers until disposed of. Properly maintain any garbage pit or compost pile you may have. Do not give rats a chance - Remove any and all possible food sources. Remove Rat Shelters: Rats can and will make any object their temporary or permanent home as long as they can crawl underneath. Until a rat can seek out permanent cover, it will use any flat object lying on the ground including tires, planks, square bales, junk, etc. Keep your place clean and tidy. Rat Proofing: Buildings with cement foundations and floors, as well as metal siding, help eliminate rat habitat. By elevating farm out buildings, protecting doorways and windows, using cement floors for sheds, granaries, warehouses and industrial structures, rats can be successfully turned away from potential shelter. Efficient rotation of stored grain or forage bales will also discourage rat activity.
Use of Poisons and Baiting Use of Poisons The most common and most effective rat bait used today is anti-coagulant bait that causes death in one to three days by painless internal bleeding. Pre-mixed anticoagulant rat bait in oats groats, pellets, or blocks or in concentrated form for water baiting are the most suitable rat baits for Alberta. They are also one of the safest rat baits in use today. Some anticoagulant rat bait may require several feedings to produce death. Newer rat baits such as bromodialone, brodifacoum difethialone require only a single feeding to kill rats but are less safe to non-targets, such as pets and livestock, than multiple feeding baits. The newer baits still require up to three days of consumption to kill rats. For safety reasons, only multiple feeding rat bait should be used near occupied buildings and all outside baiting needs to be placed in approved bait stations. Always use appropriate baits. Use dry bait (oat groats, pellets, or block) where moisture or water is available and water bait (Liquatox water soluble bait) in dry conditions. Rats can obtain daily moisture requirements from solid foods such as grain, green feed and even packed and covered garbage. First aid and antidote treatment appear on all rat bait container labels. Baiting Strategies Proper placement of rat bait will ensure maximum results. Place bait where rats will find it easily. Place bait in all potential rat habitat in secure bait stations or where children, pets and non-targets cannot access it. Keep fresh bait out at all times as long as rat activity is seen or suspected. Set bait in obvious rat habitat such as bale stacks, under granaries, barns, shelters, silage pits, abandoned buildings, nuisance grounds and garbage facilities.
Rural and Farm Baiting Strategies When stacking green feed or straw bales, place rat bait under the bottom bales. Set out one bag of bait under every other bottom bale. Bait can also be set among the bales where rats can easily find them. The bait does not have to be covered or protected when placed in the bales as the stack goes up. Poison labels must be put on the bale stacks (Figure 5). Rat bait can be placed after the bale stack is completed. Set bait under protective cover such as plywood, sheeting, or in approved bait stations around the outside of the stack at several locations. Set out one bag of bait for every 10 to 20 bales stacked. To discourage rats, leave a space between each bale sitting on the ground, and only stack two bales high. Do not keep bales for more than one year. Buildings on skids or poles can be baited. Place bait under the structure between the skids. Bait can also be set between double walls or false floors. To encourage bait consumption, open one bait bag and spill some bait for rats to find quickly. Use all-weather bait when baiting silage pits. Bait in a paraffinized block (bromodialone) or (diphacinone) is preferred. Dry cereal baits may be used, however, care must be taken to ensure the bait does not become moldy or soggy. For best results, place rat bait in properly constructed bait stations (Figure 6). Use permanent bait stations in high-risk areas. Particularly where rats have been found before, permanent bait stations should be set out and maintained to prevent recurring infestations. Permanent bait stations should be made of plywood, sheeting, or dressed lumber to contain and protect bait while allowing rats direct and unrestricted access to bait. Baffles must be placed about 10 cm in the entrances of the bait stations to prevent bait from spilling out. The bait stations must be secured to the ground with a spike or screw to prevent children and animals from moving them. All bait stations must be labeled with Warning Poison and a skull and cross bones with name, registration number, guarantee, and toxicological information. (Figure 7).
Figure 5. Properly labelled bale stacks. Figure 6. Dry bait stations. Modern bait stations have baffles and secured entrances built in.
Figure 7. Poison Labels at all bait sites. Inverted T-Bait Station. ASB Pipe needs to be 7.5 cm (3 inch) diameter, labelled, and securely staked to the ground. Figure 8. Inverted T-Bait Station
During warm weather, prepared water bait should be used wherever possible. Water bait can be presented to rats in several ways, but the most effective is the Helland liquid dispenser (Figure 9) placed in an approved bait station. Figure 9. Helland liquid dispenser in a bait station. A discarded tire makes an acceptable water bait station (Figure 10). It should be elevated on one side to allow rats easy access to bait. Always keep water bait stations covered and filled with liquatox water bait. The plywood on the tire must be screwed down to the tire to prevent children, pets, non-target wildlife, and livestock from getting into the bait. Figure 10. Used tire water bait station.
Urban Baiting and Rat Control Strategies In urban areas, rats may appear anywhere without any apparent source of conveyance. It is therefore important to have all suspect rodent specimens properly identified. Report all suspect rat sightings to Agriculture and Forestry or local or municipal authorities for further action. Call 310-RATS. The Department investigates all sightings to verify identification, establish control measures and determine the possible source of conveyance. Rat control action usually takes place within a small area near the suspect sighting. Following lengthy transportation, rats often arrive in poor physical condition, so they seek the nearest shelter and food. Swift action by everyone can result in quick and successful eradication, which is why immediate reporting of suspect rat sightings is so important. Anticoagulant Rat Bait works best in urban areas because it is safer to use. All rat baits are toxic and have use restrictions. Read and follow label instructions carefully. All rat bait must be placed in a tamper resistant bait station, or in a location not accessible to pets, children, livestock, and non-targets. Paraffinized blocks or soft bait placed in a Tier 1 bait station is recommended for an urban baiting set. A Tier 1 bait station that is made of sun proof hard plastic and constructed of high strength material, resistant to destruction by a child (child cannot reach the bait, and bait cannot be shaken loose) is recommended. The Tier 1 bait station must be locked or securely fastened, labeled with product name, registration number, active ingredient, guarantee, WARNING POISON with skull and cross bones. Remember, any rat bait placed out of doors must be in a Tier 1 bait station, and set within 15 meters of a building. Anticoagulant Rat Bait: Soft bait (green) and paraffinized blocks (blue)
Bait and Bait stations are available in local hardware stores. Domestic use rat baits can be purchased by the general public and work well in controlling rats. Labelled Tier 1 Bait Stations Bait station with rat bait blocks, snap trap, and soft bait.
Rat Snap Traps work well for a single rat report or sighting and can be used to eradicate a newly arrived rat. However, if an infestation or more than one rat is suspected, it is recommended to use anticoagulant baits rather than snap traps. A second rat is not often caught with a trap. Rat snap traps are available in most hardware stores. Do not set a smaller mouse trap when a rat is suspected. Mouse traps will not catch and hold a rat, and will make control more difficult. A rat snap trap can be placed in most bait stations to prevent children and pets from getting caught. Rat snap traps. Care must be taken in setting out rat bait to prevent non-target poisoning. Always use recommended bait stations, which secure the bait inside the bait station and have the access secured to prevent unwanted opening. Always place the proper label and poison warning signs on the bait station or in the area where bait is set out. Inform neighbours where rat bait has been set out the same day the bait has been set. Pick up and destroy all unused rat bait containers by incineration, and report any dead rates to 310-RATS before destroying.
Alberta s Rat Control Program Alberta continues to be the only rat free jurisdiction in the world something Albertans can take great pride in. Through the vigilance of farmers, municipalities and counties, pest control officers, and the government s rat control staff, rats have been prevented from becoming established in Alberta, ensuring that we retain our rat free status. The province has control agreements with the participating Counties and Municipal Districts within the Rat Control Zone along the Saskatchewan border and provides funding to these rural municipalities to deliver the Rat and Rabies Control Programs. Alberta also purchases the bait for this program and provides annual funding to the 70 Agricultural Service Boards to enforce legislation related to weeds, pests, and soil conservation. Tier 1 bait stations at a landfill set for preventative control of rats.
What do I do if I see a rat? Who do I contact? If anyone spots a rat, they should call 310-RATS (7287), OR 310-FARM (3276), OR the local bylaw office, OR local agriculture fieldman office.