Rats are not native to bc and were introduced via boat traffic in the mid 1800s.
Roof rats on vancouver island.
Rats the most common rats found native to b c on vancouver island is the norway rat and the black rat better known as the roof rat.
To prevent rats from entering a home seal up any holes or cracks larger than a quarter.
What kind of rats or mice do you have.
Common rodents found in the vancouver area are the norway brown rat the roof black rat and the house mouse.
Knowing what is causing the problem will make it easier for you to come up with a good plan.
Roof rats secured their place in history by spreading the highly dangerous bubonic plague.
Roof rats can be found throughout greater vancouver.
The best way to get rid of rats or mice is by using traps.
Remove sources of moisture and harborage.
The city of vancouver has a guide on how to identify a rat or mouse infestation including keeping an eye out for burrows noises droppings and chew marks.
They can chew on materials including insulation siding and wallboard.
Consume and contaminate stored food and transmit diseases.
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Because rats and mice are prolific breeders ignoring a problem can result in a much more damaging infestation.
The female can have up to 7 litters per year of 8 12 pups per litter.
Gnaw on wiring and start an electrical fire.
There are two types of rats in bc.
Roof rat droppings are about 13 mm 1 2 inch long with pointed ends and norway rat droppings are about 19mm 3 4 inch long with blunt ends.
Norway rats unlike roof rats this larger species.
Roof rats this species is the most common on vancouver island.
The vancouver rat project collected 725 rats in the downtown eastside from september 2011 to august 2012 and tested them for diseases that could be transmitted to humans.
If using spring loaded traps for rats bait three of them in a row without setting them.
The most common rodents in the vancouver area are the norway brown rat the roof black rat and the house mouse.
They may be grey or black and they can grow to over 25 cm.
They tend to thrive only in urban areas where food is abundant or where winters are mild.
Victoria with the widespread closure of restaurants and businesses due to the novel coronavirus pandemic b c s rodent populations are fleeing urban centres like rats from a sinking ship.
They damage homes and buildings by chewing on insulation and siding and only needs a quarter size hole to enter in.
