Oh Rats!

Recently, we've had a few reports of sewer rats in the neighborhood. These guys are disease carrying rodents and are not welcome in Southmoreland. Fortunately, the city has a free rodent abatement program, and they can come out if you find rats on your property. Call the Health Department directly at 816-513-6010 or contact the 311 Action Center, if you are finding evidence of rats in your home.  Here are several suggestions for preventing a rat infestation in your home, from KCMO.org 

Prevention
Rats need three things to survive, and will be a problem until these three things are no longer available: food, water, and shelter. If you have a rat problem, take the following steps to get rid of the rats; if your neighbor has a rat problem, taking the following steps can keep their rat problem from becoming your rat problem:

• Food (anything rats might consider food):
  • Keep food in galvanized metal containers
  • Keep trash and garbage cans in tightly covered metal containers
  • Pick up garbage and trash in yards immediately
  • Remove pet food after the pet has finished eating, and pick up pet droppings
  • Clean spilled seed from under bird feeders
  • Wipe any spilled food off the clothing and faces of babies and bedridden adults
  • NEVER leave a bottle with a baby in the crib overnight
• Water:
  • Repair leaking pipes
  • Don't let rainwater collect in containers, window wells, etc.
  • Repair broken sewer pipes leading from your home
• Shelter:
• Clean up debris like abandoned cars, used appliances, brush piles, etc.
• Cut any high weeds, especially around house foundations
• Store lumber at least 18 inches from the ground
• Clean out basement and attics
• Seal off openings in foundations, retaining walls, and basements
• Replace all broken windows
• Use concrete or metal when rat-proofing; while rats can burrow through concrete, it is much easier for them to gnaw through wood.