Nature Done Wright

This short article appeared with the main story on rat poisons in The Record:

   Raptors Are the Solution, a national coalition of non-profits, municipalities, scientists, and individuals, recommends:

   *ContraPest, a non-toxic rat-fertility control product. The coalition is using it in a pilot redevelopment project in Seattle and has had a 90 percent reduction in rats over several months.

  *The Raticator – an American-made electronic rat- and mouse-trap product that uses flashlight batteries to exterminate rodents humanely.

    *The "Good Nature" C 24 trap, which some people claim is effective.   

    *Snap traps in boxes, Snap traps in boxes are o.k. but should be used only in places where other animals can't get caught in them. 

    Note: Most pest control companies in California have switched to Cholecalciferol, which is a Vitamin D3 overdose. But it’s not recommended because it not only poisons rats but also non-target mammals, including dogs that get into the bait. On the plus side, there’s no evidence that it causes secondary poisoning or infiltrates the food web the way second-generation anticoagulants do.