What to do if a rat comes up your toilet
Heavy rains and flooding can send more rats into the sewer system. Find out the simple steps to deal with a rat in your toilet.
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Poison is so 1980s: How to protect your children and pets from rodent poisons
Wild rats and mice living too close to humans threaten our health. They can contaminate food, spread disease, damage property, and cause electrical fires. It makes good sense to keep rodents away from our homes. However, there are safe – and less safe ways – to get rid of them.
Many people’s first instinct is to use rodenticides – also known as rat or mouse bait – to poison the intruders. Unfortunately, misuse and overuse of these poisons are common and can harm children and pets.
Read More5 important tips for staying safe when cleaning areas with rodents
Some mice (deer mice, specifically) can carry hantavirus in their urine and droppings, This virus is rare, but can be potentially deadly in humans. So, if you are doing your annual spring cleaning and notice signs of infestation, take caution when cleaning it up.
Read MoreQUIZ: Is your residence rat-proofed for the winter?
When it gets cold and rainy, we humans bundle up and retreat to the indoors. Unfortunately, so do rats. Besides being unsightly, rats spread bacteria and viruses, and they can cause damage to buildings, houses and even vehicles. So, before you settle in for the season, make sure you’ve done what you can to keep […]
Read MoreRats enjoy sailing, and other unexpected rat facts
From the editor: At Public Health, we recognize the risks associated with rats. But not all rats are creepy, and they’re certainly not all filthy. In fact, one of our Public Health Nurses, Lauri Serafin, and her family are owners of sweet, domestic rats. She offered to share her insights – and some pretty cute […]
Read MoreRats: One more reason you should shut the toilet lid
We are not here to scare you. But those urban legends you’ve heard about rats in toilets? They’re (at least partially) true. Rats in toilets – what are the odds? It is very unlikely that you will find a rat in your toilet. The City of Seattle is estimated to have about 2.5 million toilets, […]
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