Tag Archives: rat extermination

Commercial Services, Mice, Nuisance Wildlife Control, Pest Control, Pest Management, Rats, Residential Services

New New York City Restaurant Regulations Can’t Come Soon Enough Part I Of II

They lurk mostly in the shadows, with clear intentions of scurrying away from attentive eyes.  They are rats, mice and other bothersome vermin.  They continue to cause problems for restaurateurs in New York City.

New York City restaurant vermin problems have been the subject of many newspaper articles and television shows.  Hopefully with the new regulation that is forthcoming, the frequency of such reports will seriously diminish.

When I lived in California, it was quite easy to know when a restaurant has passed muster with the local Health Department.  Years ago they enacted regulations for restaurants by giving them an “A”, “B” or “C” grade.  The “grade” must be displayed for all patrons to see. If you think about it, would you want to eat a restaurant with a lower grade as opposed to a higher one?  A lower grade spells violations and trouble.  According to Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, who is the Director of Public Health for Los Angeles County, “an independent study showed that its letter system had not only reduced food-borne illness outbreaks associated with restaurants, but also had lowered associated hospitalizations by 20 percent.”

The system in Los Angles does have some flaws though.  I remember going to lunch at my favorite “A” grade spot in downtown Los Angeles.  Hundreds of people filter through the restaurant each and every day.  I brought my salad back to my office and half way through my salad you could find me screaming and whacking my salad onto the floor.  My co-workers just laughed until they realized that I had a roach in my salad…and they had just eaten at the same restaurant.  I was quick to call the Health Department and they were equally quick at performing an inspection and completely shutting the restaurant down within two hours of my frantic call.  It remained shut down for three weeks and I never stepped foot inside again.

Please check back on Tuesday for the conclusion to this post.

Animal Control, Commercial Services, Mice, Pest Control, Rats, Residential Services

Rodent Health Risks To Humans

It has never been a good idea to handle wild rodents.  Even if you can befriend them and get past the initial yuck factor, they are unpredictable and known to carry diseases that are harmful to humans.

Rodents live a simple life and need only three things to survive and prosper…food, water and shelter.  This can easily be found in homes, schools, pet stores, grocery stores and restaurants.  Some grocery stores and restaurants have been taken to task lately for being over run with vermin.   The good news is that when a complaint is launched; local health department officials are usually quick to respond and react accordingly.

The most common pathogens that rats and mice transmit are Salmonella, Campylobacter and even E. Coli.  Over the past few years various universities have also done studies showing that pregnant woman are in danger of being infected with the Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus (LCMV).  This infectious agent is carried by house mice and other rodents.  The virus can cause severe brain damage in a fetus.  Pregnant women should never handle rodents, live or dead or their droppings or bedding.

If rats or mice are invading your personal space, contact a pest control specialist who will not only get rid of the pests, but also help find where they are coming from so you can keep them out for good!

Rats

Bronx Launches Rat Eradication Campaign

This rat would have been a challenge even for Bobby Corrigan. Scientists in Uruguay have discovered fossil evidence of a one ton rodent as big as a bull! With a 20-inch scull, 8-foot long body and weighing in at 1,700 to 3,000 pounds, the beast wouldn’t have scurried into your basement through a gap in the sewer outlet, he’d have just battered down your door! Not that Corrigan wouldn’t be up to the challenge. Corrigan is New York City’s full-time rodent hunter.

Pulling in a six-figure city salary, the noted (and notorious) rodentologist has been training city workers for the past two years to trap rodents instead of just chasing them elsewhere. Now Corrigan’s been put in charge of a pilot program to rid the Bronx of its burgeoning rat population. If the 18-month program is successful, it will be expanded citywide.

Even as you read this, swarms of Health Department inspectors are blanketing the Bronx, looking for and recording signs of the disease-spreading rodents. A public prevention campaign is being launched to school residents in protecting their homes from rat infiltration. The city is doubling its complement of health inspectors who are expected to visit up to 200 properties a day. Property owners who fail to get rid of rats could be fined. With fines starting at $200, you’ll want to keep Stern Environmental Group’s phone number (locally: 201-319-9620 or toll free: 1-888-887-8376) handy in case you find evidence of rats on your property. Click here for information on Stern’s highly effective commercial and residential rat control services.

Nuisance Wildlife Control, Rats, Rodent Control

The Rat Monster of the Marshes in New Jersey!

As if regular rats weren’t enough, imagine gross, hairy, dirty rats the size of dogs and they are being found in New Jersey of all places! As odd and even scary as this may sound, these horror-story creatures do, in fact, exist. This furry fiend is called the nutria, and, currently, it’s making its home in the Garden State, New Jersey.

Originally from South America, this 12-20 lb. rodent, somewhat resembling a beaver, is capable of living in water and on land. It is found mostly in Latin America and in the states of Louisiana and Mississippi. Female nutrias can be pregnant with three litters a year, and they are able to get pregnant again within a day of giving birth. However, these creatures aren’t too scary… At least, they won’t eat you. The nutrias are plant eaters. They can devour twenty-five percent of their body weight, every day!

In the nineteenth century and first half of the twentieth century, nutrias were actually bred for their fine furs. As this trend of nutria farming spread throughout the South and along the Gulf Coast area, the population of these rodents grew and grew. This wouldn’t be such a problem if they weren’t considered to be one of the most damaging creatures to happen upon the marshlands. In just the past half-century, they’ve devoured about 7,000 acres of salt marsh. They’ve been making their way up the Eastern Seaboard, throughout Maryland and Delaware. Maryland is taking firm action to keep the population of nutrias to a low and to protect our waters and marsh life.