Living Harmoniously with Wildlife

by William McIntosh

Fall is here! With the beautiful colours all around us, and the cooler temperatures slowly approaching, we know the inevitable is coming… snow…ice and all other forms of unpleasant winter weather. Interestingly though, we are not the only ones who know foul weather is not far away, there are also a host of animals, and their preparations are in order.

Building dens, caching food and putting on weight, animals are prepping to be cozy this coming winter. However, this may bode ill for some of us. Certain animals, rather than building a home, take advantage of another’s. Who is most responsible for this? RATS AND MICE. Two small but very destructive critters. Read on for some spooky facts, tips and tricks to avoid having an issue this year. 

Rodents across the world, are estimated to be responsible for 1/5 to 1/3 of all food being rendered unfit for human consumption. Having teeth that never stop growing, rodents gnaw to keep their teeth sharp and short, leading to damage to wires, plumbing and other areas of your home. Carrying various diseases and viruses, rats particularly have been shown responsible for heavy disease transmission. In the 14th century, rats were responsible for transmission of fleas that caused the bubonic plague, otherwise known as The Black Death, causing an estimated 50-200 million fatalities (25-60% of Europe’s population at the time). Rats have a troubling past. 

The rats that we have in Ontario are known as the ‘Norway Rat’. These critters are not naturally occurring in Ontario, but actually came from Europe on ships sometime in the 16th century.  A rodent that takes advantage of any situation it can get its paws on, the Norway Rat cannot live outside of human intervention. What does that mean? A Norway Rat simply cannot live in nature successfully, by itself, it needs human/livestock food or refuse to survive. This explains the explosion of them in high density human populaces. 

These animals are very hardy though, due to their wary nature and exceptional intelligence. Problem solving, as well as being suspicious of danger and new things, tend to make these animals a tough creature to expunge. Reaching sexual maturity at 2-3 months, rats can procreate at a rapid rate. With a gestation period of just 22 days, raising litters of 6-12, a pair of rats with unlimited food and water can expand to 5,000 rats in a 365-day period. With a lifespan of 12-18 months, rats are an animal not to be ignored, if you suspect them on your property. 

Mice, also, are an annoying and damaging animal. We have mostly House Mice and Deer Mice in our area.  Fortunately, they do not have as many or as large a litter as rats. Another difference between the two, mice are naturally inquisitive, and are willing to investigate new things, leading to catching them easier. They are able to pass through spaces as small as 1/4 of an inch, (the thickness of a #2 pencil) their skulls actually flatten to allow them to squeeze through such small spaces. Something that’s very important to keep in mind, mice do not have bladders, so the urine in their bodies flows out continually. If you find mouse droppings, it’s important to wash the area with a disinfectant as it’s highly probable urine is there too. 

Now, how do you prevent these animals from seeking shelter in your home? For rats specifically; rats need an average of 1 ounce of food and water daily. Alpha males need 2 ounces of food, and pregnant females need 4 ounces of food a day. Water particularly can be a problem for rats to find, so make sure pet bowls of water outdoors are emptied when your pet is not in need. Bird baths, leaking hoses and pipes, and small outdoor pools should be monitored, fixed, and emptied to ensure no water access. Large openings in your home, such as extenuated holes around HVAC, piping, or foundation venting should be screened and/or sealed up. 

Mice need approximately 1/20 of an ounce of water a day, so typically the sweat of a pipe or moisture in their food is enough to keep them comfortable. You need to be sealing up foodstuffs, grass seed, and pet/livestock feed to help discourage them from your property. Bird feeders, especially in the fall, can bring unwanted rodent attention, so consider this carefully. Due to their small nature, and ability to climb or dig, mice are next to impossible to seal out of your home; however, management of the things mentioned can definitely help. 

Now, you may find that you have done what’s been suggested, and even more, but you still have an issue. If this is the case, it’s time to call a professional to help. Rats particularly can get out of control extremely quickly, and if treatment on your own fails, it may cause further headache when a professional is called in. Rats may now be shy to the efforts the pest control technician needs to conduct to deal with your problem. If you suspect you have a rat or mouse issue, I strongly suggest you put a call into your local pest control company. They have the training and tools needed to help you get rodent free! 

William MacIntosh is part-owner of Exit Wildlife and Pest Control. You can reach him through the website here.