Rodents everywhere in DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

This.

A Ratter team (handler and 3-4 trained Jack Russel terriers) can kill HUNDREDS of rats a night.

Also, branch out.. More natural predators of rats. Owls, hawks, falcons, rat snakes (harmless to people but voracious when it comes to rats), etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

WTF? No they aren't. N Arl doesn't have a rat problem.

Arlington—north and south—has rats. Lots of rats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Rats can get on roofs. They can climb walls.

Also, about half the rats we have in DC are actually called "roof rats"! In the District, the two species that predominate are Rattus rattus (black "roof rats") and Rattus norvegicus (brown street/sewer rats). Rooftop dining won't really help!

Oh God thanks for that. At least the roof rats seem more shy? Have yet to have one run over our feet (happened multiple times street level 🤢🤮)

[Anonymous]

roof rats -- terrifying.

Anyone else reluctant to use their outdoor patio spaces to eat because of rat encounters? Only has to happen once or twice to totally shatter your warm "urban oasis" vibe about your outdoor space

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Rats can get on roofs. They can climb walls.

Also, about half the rats we have in DC are actually called "roof rats"! In the District, the two species that predominate are Rattus rattus (black "roof rats") and Rattus norvegicus (brown street/sewer rats). Rooftop dining won't really help!

Oh God thanks for that. At least the roof rats seem more shy? Have yet to have one run over our feet (happened multiple times street level 🤢🤮)

You haven’t seen them because they are “roof rats”, they are living in your walls right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

WTF? No they aren't. N Arl doesn't have a rat problem.

Arlington—north and south—has rats. Lots of rats.

There is a special division within DES that deals with the rat problems in Arlington. There are a lot of streams in Arlington that are offshoots of Lubber Run and Spout Run that are nesting places for rats.

[Anonymous]

You are in good company with Queen Elizabeth. Rats were problematic a couple of years ago in Buckingham Palace.

I believe when Obama and his wife stayed at Buckingham Palace a rat ran through their bedroom.

Over a hundred years ago the rats were so bad at Buckingham Palace that they employed a fulltime rat catcher.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: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.

Rats can get on roofs. They can climb walls.

Also, about half the rats we have in DC are actually called "roof rats"! In the District, the two species that predominate are Rattus rattus (black "roof rats") and Rattus norvegicus (brown street/sewer rats). Rooftop dining won't really help!

Oh God thanks for that. At least the roof rats seem more shy? Have yet to have one run over our feet (happened multiple times street level 🤢🤮)

You haven’t seen them because they are “roof rats”, they are living in your walls right now.

I'm.pretty sure they are not. We get field mice but not wall rats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:roof rats -- terrifying.

Anyone else reluctant to use their outdoor patio spaces to eat because of rat encounters? Only has to happen once or twice to totally shatter your warm "urban oasis" vibe about your outdoor space

How about the city enforce restaurant trash and trash receptacles? When I lived in Adams Morgan restaurant trash was the rats playground.

[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

I noticed cats on the streets of Miami Beach. Could be that owners let cats outdoors more there? This certainly must help, they are the natural predator. Otherwise, there is nothing hunting the rats, if humans aren't controlling the situation

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We need more cats.

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

I don't think there are enough endangered birds in the cities Cities tend to attract different category of birds, pigeons, anyone?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

dang

It probably depends on the neighborhood and how well neighbors control the problem together, and the garbage disposal and removal. I doubt that a few cat food dishes left outside would create huge out of control rat issue. Human garbage is likely a better source for the rats than competition for cat kibble with their natural predator. It might also depend on access to sewers or other areas where rats can hide and breed. There is more going on than just garbage or cat food.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not surprising that there are more rodents. There is trash along all of the roads because it’s not picked up anymore. It’s noticeable as soon as you enter the city. There are homeless encampments everywhere surrounded by trash. There are many more dog owners and a certain percentage don’t pick up waste. The winters have been mild. It’s a perfect environment for rats.

This. The cities had become dirtier overall. DC used to be cleaner, when you turn a city into a skid row, there is no surprise vermin will follow. Also, there must be some structural issues with easy access to sewers for the rats probably. City has to do something about it, starting with some major cleanup. Owners can only do so much. It really takes a city. Also hold garbage companies accountable for spilling the garbage during pickup and not cleaning up. We had this happen in front of our row house numerous times, it's public property, not ours to clean, they just throw the bags and if something spills, nobody picks up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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

This.

A Ratter team (handler and 3-4 trained Jack Russel terriers) can kill HUNDREDS of rats a night.

Ok, all of these are great suggestions, but what can we do to force city to do something? And because everything is so controlled, I doubt that it would be ok for some random home owner to bring a team of trained dogs or cats or falcons and unleash them without some neighbors complaining and owners getting fined. We should have the city pay for this and hire professionals.

We kill so many feral cats in shelters, they are not easily adoptable, and they get neutered/spayed and released. Why not get some of them into the cities? They can co-exist with us like they always did and do in many places. Falcons and trained dogs would be on demand (as they require trained supervision), and cats would be to do maintenance work while we sleep .

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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

This.

A Ratter team (handler and 3-4 trained Jack Russel terriers) can kill HUNDREDS of rats a night.

Also, branch out.. More natural predators of rats. Owls, hawks, falcons, rat snakes (harmless to people but voracious when it comes to rats), etc.

These aren't city animals from what I understand, cats and dogs are. But people would have a fit if we get stray dogs and cats running around, also a lot of them would get killed by cars, especially dogs. I think a combo of trained bird and rat-terrier teams for more aggressive cleanup and a few neutered/spayed feral cats for routine maintenance should make a difference. But finding out the problem where they nest and breed and hide would go a long way too. Problem is city isn't doing anything to hire professionals to investigate the problem.