Residents of the Village of Bonnybrook are battling a problem with large rats.
Residents have reported large rats causing damage, including chewing holes in lanai screens.
It is the second major rat infestation this year in The Villages. Residents of the Village of Santiago battled a terrible rat problem earlier this year. You can read more about that HERE
The Florida Department of Health offers the following tips keeping rats out of your home:
- Make sure doors & windows fit tightly and are screened.
- Close other holes through walls with heavy gauge steel wool, galvanized metal, or steel mesh or hardware cloth.
- Tightly seal openings around pipes & wires where they can get into your home.
- Cut grass, brush, and thick bushes within 100 feet of your home.
- Get rid of trash, abandoned vehicles, discarded appliances & junk.Â
- Store lumber & firewood in neat stacks at least 12 inches off the ground and as far from the house as possible.
- Keep garbage in tightly covered metal or heavy plastic containers.
- Store pet foods and grains in galvanized trash cans with tight fitting lids.
- Don’t leave food for pets out overnight – feed only what they will eat within a few minutes.
- Use baits & poisons carefully and only after all other control methods have been used.
- Consult a licensed exterminator for assistance.
- Spring loaded traps and bait stations can be used if properly baited and placed (check daily).Â
- Spread mothballs around to deter rodents.
- Promptly dispose of dead rodents.
