vector control

Thanks for that information neighbor.
I agree with another poster, we need to send them over to Willow Park to look around and make sure the Dept. of Sanitation is keeping it clean and rodent free.

Rats

It is not only Colonial Acres having this problem. I live across Mt. Moriah in the Sea Isle Park neighborhood and we too have been seeing a lot more activity. I doubt it is related to Willow Park.

I don't know if it is the dry weather forcing them to forage, or they were blasted out of their nests in the storm water system when we had our few good rains this summer, but something has them stirred up.

About a month ago I opened a toilet lid to find one of the little buggers thrashing around in there. With persistence I was able to flush him back where he came from - hopefully he surfaced somewhere in a toilet in city hall. Anyhow - I went online and found that they can actually come in via the sewer line, and that some cities actually have folks who ''bait'' the sewers to trap and/or kill them. I don't think our Vector Control folks do that.

In fact, aside from spraying for mosquitos I don't think I've ever seen our vector control folks do much of anything.

By Doug

Rats

Since moving in a couple of months ago on Cranford I have found two dead rats in my back yard. I have also found mice or rats have gotten into my shed and have consumed a bag of grass seed. I have learned to keep my yard pooper scooped with my dogs and am gonna have o lay out bait to kill them. We pay .75 cents on the MLG&W bill for rodent control..thats a joke

Vector's office

I wouldn't be so fast to contact the vector's office. Our experience with them was a nightmare- and we didn't have a rat problem. Our mentally ill neighbor had rats. Even though the inspector found no rat holes on our property or evidence of rats, they insisted we put rat bait out. We have a dog and keep our yard cleaned of droppings. Needless to say, placing poison in our yard was out of the question, especially since we weren't the problem.

We had to pay a pest control person to come inspect our property,and send the vector's office a letter stating we had no rats to keep him from placing poison on our property- without our permission or giving us any notice.

This jerk from the vector's office tried to tell us they have the right to place poison within the reach of children or pets- and NOT NOTIFY the property owner. They do NOT have that right.

If anyone from the vector's office tell you this, please report them to the ASPCA or local authorities. If you have pets or children, they can place live traps on the property, which is a much safer option.
By the way, The vector's office refused to inspect the proptery the rats were coming from or even talk to the property owner.
So....If you are using poison, please place it under your house where pets or unattended neighborhood children can not reach it.

Also be aware of secondary posioning. If children, dogs or cats find and eat part of a rodent killed by rat poison, it will posion them.

Please let your neighbors know too. That way, those who have cats (and dogs and children) can try to keep them in until the bait and rats are gone.
Thanks for your time in reading this. I hope it will prevent a nightmare from happening to someone else.
Still rat free in blue b.

By annonymous