Rodents everywhere in DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any large cities that don’t have a lot of rats?

I live in Downtown Miami. Bigger than DC in every way. I think I've seen 3 rats in my 5 years down here. DC is on another level. They are EVERYWHERE, huge, bold, and the increase each year is noticeable

You've counted the rats you've seen in Miami? How odd.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need more cats.

I agree with you, but the crazy bird people would have a fit.

I live in a neighborhood with a lot of outdoor cats and I can assure you this is not true. The rat-attracting/sustaining factor from people feeding cats outside far, far outweighs any predator affect. The houses with the outdoor cats are the ones with the most rats.

It’s a bigger problem where there are dogs that poop in the yard and the owners don’t clean it up, especially if there are sewers nearby. The rats come eat foot particles out of the dog poop.

[Anonymous]

I live in LA - rats a plenty! But nothing like DC rats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any large cities that don’t have a lot of rats?

I used to live in Moscow. Huge city, many times the size of DC (15 million people), and no wide spread issues with rats. Pretty sure I never actually saw one there. My theory is that it’s too cold for much of the year.

Um... yes. That's exactly why.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Not too long ago, we were having dinner in the patio of a well-known coffee shop in Dupont Circle when 5-6 rats came out of the bushes & started jumping and twirling as if they were dancing Swan Lake.

I see DC alleys & streets filled with rats. I see rat poo everywhere. I see them blazingly crossing streets in plain sight.

How can we pressure DC officials to do something about this? Educating ppl to be careful with their trash isn’t enough.

What about increasing the frequency of trash collection in the city? Is there anything that can be done to address this issue, which has gotten worse during the pandemic?

They are much, much worse in Arlington. Especially North Arlington.

What? Never seen any rats in South Arlington.

[Anonymous]

The homeless people could be hired to clean up and exterminate

[Anonymous]

This is a good business opportunity for someone with trained falcons. Rent the falcons loose on a nightly basis to clean up an alley. Rinse and repeat highly as necessary. Falcons can be trained to return to an owner's well gloved hand. Let them loose at dusk, make certain they are hungary and let them do their feeding. Ditto any trainable natural predators of rats. Some of those natural predators are not so trainable and some are no so happy to be in urban environments. People who live nearby may not be too enthused to see some of the wider spectrum of natural predators at work.

[Anonymous]

Similar to rent a goat in terms of cleaning up poison ivy from an enclosed space. Rent a falcon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are there any large cities that don’t have a lot of rats?

I live in Downtown Miami. Bigger than DC in every way. I think I've seen 3 rats in my 5 years down here. DC is on another level. They are EVERYWHERE, huge, bold, and the increase each year is noticeable

With the shallow water table there, I wonder if its a less favorable environment for burrows, etc.

[Anonymous]

Better, harsher abatement is necessary. A team of rat dogs and a couple of handlers can clear a block in a night.

[Anonymous]

Walking to Metro Center around 9:00 last night my daughter and I saw at least 7 huge rats running between the street & the landscaping around the Church of the Epiphany. I couldn’t believe how big and bold they were.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need more cats.

I agree with you, but the crazy bird people would have a fit.

I can make both groups happy: get bigger birds.

[Anonymous]

My friend was dining on 17th street and saw SIX RATS. While dining. I only eat on rooftops now--twice in the last year a rat has run over a companions foot dining outside on ground level.

[Anonymous]

The pest control company Orkin's list of U.S. cities with the worst rat problems ranks Washington, DC as fourth.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/americas-50-most-rat-infested-cities-ranked/50/

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. New York City
4. Washington, DC
5. San Francisco

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The pest control company Orkin's list of U.S. cities with the worst rat problems ranks Washington, DC as fourth.
https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/americas-50-most-rat-infested-cities-ranked/50/

1. Chicago
2. Los Angeles
3. New York City
4. Washington, DC
5. San Francisco

I’m surprised New Orleans isn’t higher on that list.