Use of Rat Poisoning and Insecticides in Kruger Camps

[nan]

so right

[PennyinSA]

The thot is plickening!!!!!

[Richprins]

European rats have been in the camps since Stevenson Hamilton's time!

[H. erectus]

Calling me a rat!!!!!

[Richprins]

No, you are not that old!

[Lisbeth]

[Toko]

INTEGRATED PEST MANAGEMENT
Management Plan for the Responsible Control of household and other
pests

PESTS
RATS AND MICE

General information
Rats and mice are mostly active at night. They have poor eyesight, but they make up for this with their keen senses of hearing, smell, taste and touch. Rats and mice constantly explore and learn about their environment memorizing the locations of pathways, obstacles, food and water, shelter and other elements in their domain. They quickly detect and tend to avoid new objects placed in a familiar environment. Thus, objects such as traps and baits are often avoided for several days or more following their initial placement. Mice and young rats can squeeze beneath a door with only 2cm gap. If the door is made of wood, rats may gnaw to enlarge the gap.
Rats and mice eat a variety of foods including cereal grains, meats, fish, nuts, fruits, slugs and snails. When searching for food, rats and mice can travel up to 150m from their nests or burrows. Females can wean between 3 – 6 letters per year, each litter containing between 3 – 5 young.
Rats consume and contaminate foodstuffs and damage storage containers. They can also cause damage by gnawing electrical wires and wooden structures.


Management
Three elements are necessary for a successful rat and mouse management program: sanitation, building construction and rodent proofing and, if necessary, population control.

Mechanical control
Sanitation: Sanitation is fundamental to rat control and must be continuous. If sanitation measures are not properly maintained, the benefits of other measures will be lost and rats will quickly return. Good housekeeping in and around buildings will reduce available shelter and food sources for rats and mice. Neat, off-the-ground storage of pipes, timber, crates, boxes, gardening equipment and household goods will help reduce the suitability of the area for rats and will also make their detection easier. Garbage and garden refuse should be collected frequently and all garbage containers should have tight fitting covers. Thinning dense vegetation will make the habitat less desirable including climbing hedges such as jasmine and ivy. Trees with branches hanging closer than 1m to the roof should be trimmed.

Building construction and rodent proofing: The most successful and long lasting form of rat control in buildings is to “build them out”. Seal off cracks and openings in building foundations, and any openings for water pipes, electric wires, sewer pipes, drain spouts and vents. No hole larger than 7mm should be left unsealed. Make sure doors, windows and screens fit tightly. Their edges can be covered with sheet material if gnawing is a problem. Coarse steel wool, wire screen and lightweight sheet material are excellent materials for plugging gaps and holes. Plastic sheeting, wood, caulking and other less sturdy materials are likely to be gnawed away.

Because rats and house mice are good climbers, openings above ground level must all be plugged, especially all access points in the roof. Chimneys should be covered with wire netting or gauze to prevent rat and mice entry. Check all screens on windows, doors, and air vents are in good condition. Make sure all exterior doors are tight fitting and weatherproofed at the bottom.

Trapping: This is the safest and most effective way of controlling rats in and around homes. Traps can be used more than once therefore it is a cost effective but more labor-intensive method. The kind of bait used for the trap is important. Dried fruit or bacon makes excellent bait for rats. The bait should be fastened securely to the trigger of the trap with a light string or bit of glue. Soft baits such as peanut butter or cheese can also be used, but rats sometimes take soft baits without setting off the trap. Leaving traps baited but unset until the bait has been taken at least once improves trapping success by making the rodents more accustomed to the traps. Set traps so the trigger is sensitive and will spring easily.

The best places to set traps are in secluded areas where rats are likely to travel and seek shelter. Droppings, gnawing and damage indicate the presence of rodents and areas where such evidence is found are usually the best places to set traps, especially when these areas are located between their nests and food sources. Place traps in natural traveling paths such as along a wall, so the rodents will pass directly over the trigger of the trap. Position traps along a wall at right angles, with the trigger end nearly touching the wall. If traps are set parallel to the wall, they should be set in pairs to intercept rodents traveling from either direction. If a rat sets of a trap without getting caught, it will be very difficult to catch the rat with the trap again. Other good places for traps are behind objects, in dark corners, on ledges, shelves, branches, fences, pipes or overhead beams. In overhead places, the traps should be attached securely with screws or wire. In areas where children or birds and other animals might contact traps, place the trap in a box or use a barrier to keep them away.

Use as many traps as are practical so trapping time will be short and decisive. A dozen or more traps for a heavily infested home may be necessary. Place rat traps about 5-10 meters apart. Dispose of dead rats by burying them. Do not touch the dead rodent with bare hands and wash thoroughly after handling traps.

Live traps are not recommended because trapped rats must either be killed or released elsewhere. Releasing rat’s outdoors is not recommended because of health concerns.


Chemical control
While trapping is generally recommended for controlling rats indoors, when the number of rats around a building is high, it may be necessary to use toxic baits to
achieve adequate control, especially if there is a continuous infestation from surrounding areas. Most toxic baits for rodents contain active ingredients that work as an anticoagulant, causing death by internal bleeding. Most anticoagulant baits have been considered as relatively safe baits to use around the house and garden because they require multiple feedings to be effective. This is referred to as a first generation poison, as only the target animal will be killed. Some of the more lethal rodent poisons that are prohibited for use in a National Park, contain a single feed, second generation poison, that will result in death to anything that eats the poison directly from the baits, or indirectly, by eating the dead rodents (eg. Predators including owls, genets etc.).

Rodent bait should only be used, when placed in a bait station (Rodent bait station made by Bayer). These bait stations protect the bait from weather and restrict accessibility to rodents, providing a safeguard for people and other animals. Place bait stations next to walls or in places where rats will encounter them. Stations that may be accessible to children must be made of sturdy, tamper resistant material and be secured in a way that they cannot be tipped. All bait stations should be clearly labeled.

The use of bait stations help rats to feel secure when feeding. Place all bait stations in rat travel-ways or near their burrows. Do not expect rats to go out of their way to find the bait. If you place bait stations above the ground (on fences, eves), make sure they are securely fastened, and wont fall onto the floor where children may find them. Because rats are often suspicious of new or unfamiliar objects, it may take several days for them to enter and feed in bait stations. For best results, make sure there is a continuous supply of bait until feeding stops. It usually takes 5 days or more once the rats start feeding for them to succumb.

During the baiting process, dispose of dead rodents by burying them, or placing them in a marked plastic bag, and putting them in the rubbish for incineration at the dump. Use gloves and wash hands thoroughly after handling dead rodents, traps or bait stations. Additionally, poisoned rats often die in inaccessible locations within a building, leading to persistent and unpleasant odors, so rodent proof the building before you use toxic baits outside.

A successful bait formula that can be administered in a Bayer Rodent Bait station can be made up as follows:
Dilute 1 part Racumin (made by Bayer) in 30-40 parts water (8g/l). Dilute 1litre of lecol pinenut with 7 litres of water, and add 40ml of Racumin. Keep this available
for 16 days and refill as required. This is a first generation poison, so animals need multiple feeds to die. It will therefore not affect predators feeding on them.
Rats drink every 24 hours, therefore bait after dark, in secluded spots to minimize contaminating other small animals. Remove bait stations during the day.