Email:
Dear neighbors,
Many of you wrote after our initial note to share your own suggestions about rat-management. Here are more suggestions:
- There are tapes with a pepper material on it (Honda makes one) that can be placed strategically around engine wires.
- Ivy hides rat nests: consider removing it. There are other ground cover options that do not need much water.
- It can help simply to have your car hood up -- provided it's in a place where you can monitor it. Rats are less likely to build a nest when the hood is open and they are not hidden and cozy.
- Many people mentioned rat deterrent sprays based on peppermint oil. They are somewhat effective if repeated frequently, and they are non-toxic.
- There are people who trap rats for you. One suggestion is Reuben, who traps rodents and comes twice a month to clear and reset the traps. One homeowner reports that he has been catching 2-5 rodents every two weeks. Contact: Reuben Avalos cell- 650-471-5733
- Some homeowners move their cars every few days. Rats like things that are stationary.
- One homeowner recommends the PowerSmith PWL110S LED work light for under the hood light.
- And there is the old, cheap and effective snaptrap: only $4 at Ace Hardware: https://www.acehardware.com/departments/lawn-and-garden/insect-and-animal-control/animal-traps/70737
- Some homeowners are concerned about the protected dusky-footed woodrat. These are the pack rats who build remarkable houses. https://www.nwf.org/Educational-Resources/Wildlife-Guide/Mammals/Dusky-Footed-Woodrat . Norwegian rats are more invasive. https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/rodents/norway-rats/ . Devices that kill will not distinguish between them, so if your rodents are the dusky-footed woodrat, you may prefer deterrents.
- This article points out that our struggles are shared: https://www.mercurynews.com/2020/09/18/tips-for-dealing-with-the-bay-areas-rat-problem/
- Several large organizations—Pepperdine University, De Anza College, Marin County, VMWare and others—have abandoned poison in favor of an integrated pest management system. We hope to move our community in this direction.
We hope these suggestions will prove helpful to you.
The SCRL rodent committee:
Tanya Luhrmann
Audrey Gold
Katie Shoven
Cheryl Foung