CONTENTS:
Rat Action Tips:
What You Can Do
VECTOR CONTROL PAGES:
|
Multnomah County Health Department Healthy People in Healthy Communities
About Rats
Environmental Health Section - |
Rat
Action
Tips:What YOU can do
Where are rats frequently found outside?
Six frequently asked about topics:
- HARBORAGE (Shelter)
- Where are rats frequently found outside?
- Where are rats most frequently found inside the home?
- FOOD
- What foods bring rats into my yard and neighborhood?
- What do rats eat inside my home?
- PREVENTION
- How do I prevent rats from living on my property?
- ACCESS
- How can rats enter my home?
- Can a rat enter a home through a sewer pipe?
- CONTROL
- Should I use a snap trap or rat poison to eliminate rats from my home?
- CLEANING
- What should I do with a dead rat?
- How should I clean up rat droppings?
For more information how to prevent a rodent infestation, see the downloadable documents, "How to Prevent a Rodent Problem" (PDF) in English or Spanish and “So you Have a Rat Hole” (PDF) in English. Where are rats most frequently found inside the home?
- Near an outdoor food source
- Under wood piles and lumber that is stacked on the ground and not used often
- In and around ivy, yard debris piles and vegetated areas that are overgrown
- In or under compost piles and bins
- Under concrete slabs and any other outdoor structures
- In or around clutter or garbage stored outside
- Under decks and hot tubs
What foods bring rats into my yard and neighborhood?
- Near an indoor food source
- In the insulation of walls or ceilings
- In crawl spaces
- In basements, in or around stored boxes and other stored items
- Near hot water heaters
- Under sinks, cupboards, bathtubs and shower stalls
- In the dirt of an unfinished basement
What do rats eat inside my home?
- Dog and cat food left outdoors
- Bird and squirrel feeders
- Pet droppings
- Fallen nuts and fruits
- Improperly stored garbage
- Food items in compost piles and bins
How do I prevent rats from living on my property?
- The same things we do
- Do not leave pet food out for more than a half hour, store pet food in a metal container with a tight fitting lid
- Clean crumbs, fats, oils, and any other food items off counter tops, floors, and stoves
- Contain garbage in a container with a tight fitting lid
- Do not give them the things they need to survive:
- Clean any nuts or fruits that have fallen to the ground
- Avoid leaving pet food outside for long periods of time
- Clean up excessive bird or squirrel food that has fallen to ground
- Store garbage in container with tight fitting lid
- Composting food items may increase the chances of a rodent problem
- Keep pet droppings picked up
- Dump out any water that collects in containers around the yard
- Store fire wood and lumber at least 18” off the ground
- Reduce or remove ground covering vegetation
- Keep vegetation at least 3’ from foundation of home
- Do not store junk or clutter in your yard
- Rodent proof compost piles and bins
- Remove yard debris piles
- Cap any disconnected rain drains
- Identify any re-appearing holes along sewer line
- When storing items inside the home, keep at least 2’ from walls
- Communicate with neighbors
How can rats enter my home?
- It only takes a hole the size of a quarter for a rat to squeeze through and a mouse only requires a hole the size of a dime, some areas to check would be:
- Open crawl space vents
- Pet doors
- Open doors, windows or garage doors
- Gaps around pipes or wires entering into home
- Uncapped floor drains
- Shallow foundation
- Structural gaps
Can rats enter a home through a sewer pipe?
For more information on how to rodent proof your home see the downloadable document, "How to Rodent-Proof Your Home" (PDF).
- Rats can enter a home through the toilet or open drains in the home
- Make sure floor drains are capped with secure drain covers
- Keep sink rinsed and as clean as possible, limit use of garbage disposal and avoid dumping grease or fat down the drain
- Clean out sewer line once or twice a month by pouring one cup baking soda and one cup vinegar followed by boiling water down drain as an alternative to bleach
- Keep toilet lid closed when not in use
- If you find a rat in your toilet, remove rat, triple bag and contact garbage company for retrieval instructions
Should I use a snap trap or rat poison to eliminate rats from my home?
- Multnomah county vector control does NOT recommend using poisons in the home; a rat could eat the poison then wander off into a wall and die. Use snap traps baited with peanut butter, meat or fruit, secure traps with fishing line or twine tied off to the back staple and place traps along walls or where you have seen rats run or seen droppings. Snap traps allow you to see your results and dispose of the rat accordingly. If you choose to use poisons, they should only be used outdoors in tamper resistant bait stations and should not be used if there are entry points into your home.
What should I do with a dead rat?
- Fleas may be present; you should treat the infested area with a flea spray prior to picking up the used traps and dead animal, follow label directions for applying flea spray. Triple bag the rat and contact garbage hauler for retrieval instructions. Clean area with a 10% bleach water solution and wash hands after handling rat, even if you wore gloves.
How should I clean up rodent droppings?
- Do not sweep or vacuum up droppings, you want to wet down the droppings with a 10% bleach water solution and allow to soak for at least 20 minutes, then scoop up droppings using newspaper, paper towels or rags and triple bag then throw away. For more information on cleaning up after a rodent infestation, see downloadable document, "Cleaning Up After a Rodent Infestation" (PDF).
If you have any further questions, need additional information or feel an inspection is necessary, please contact:
Multnomah County Vector Control
5235 N. Columbia Blvd.
Portland, Or. 97203
(503) 988-3464
Proper trap placement is important for catching rats. Traps should be placed against a wall in high traffic areas as shown in the diagram, left. I Have a Reappearing Hole In My Yard!
A smooth looking hole in your yard that reappears when filled could indicate a break in the sewer line and a rat problem. Call the City of Portland Maintenance Bureau at (503) 823-1700 to determine if there is a break. If the line is broken it must be repaired. If the line is not fixed, rats will be a continuous problem.
Environmental Health Section | Health Department | Multnomah County
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Page updated December 02, 2003
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