The rat population is booming in Northern Nevada, says pest control company. Here’s why

By Carly Sauvageau, Reno Gazette Journal

Northern Nevadans who feel like they’ve seen more rats around aren’t imagining things.

Invasive roof rats from California have bred with native brown desert bushy tail rats (also called pack rats) to cause a population boom over the last five years, Victor Vasquez, a manager with Truckee Meadows Pest Control, told the Reno Gazette Journal on Sept. 24.

Truckee Meadows Pest Control serves Reno and the surrounding areas, including Incline Village at Lake Tahoe, where Vasquez said the roof rat problem started.

“We get calls every day for (rats),” Vasquez said. “Some days are lighter than others, majority are in Incline and in the 89503 area,” in west Reno.

“That’s where we first started seeing them in Reno.”

Vasquez said the pest control company has seen an estimated 50% increase in calls about rats since 2020, with a 10% increase this year.

The population boom isn’t the only reason Northern Nevadans may be seeing more rats. Vasquez said rat and mice populations become more visible as the seasons change. As temperatures drop in the fall, rodents look for warm shelter, meaning they’re more likely to seek refuge in people’s homes.

Here are some answers to commonly asked questions about rats as well as ways Nevadans can keep rats from nesting in their homes.

Does one rat mean more?

It’s likely that if you see one or two rats in an area, “within three to four months you can have a significant problem,” Vasquez said. That’s because rats can reproduce very quickly.

Rats’ gestation period is just weeks, with anywhere from eight to 12 rats per litter, Vasquez said. They also interbreed, meaning rats do not need an unrelated rat population to have babies.

Can rats climb walls?

Yes. Vasquez said roof rats are particularly difficult to manage because they can run along cables, branches and wires to enter the home through the roof. That means trapping and exclusion work (plugging up ground holes or pipes) doesn’t always work to control roof rat populations.

Will rats leave if they smell a dog?

No. In fact, Vasquez said, dog poop can be a rat and mice attractant. The rodents will search for proteins to eat in dog feces, meaning if your yard has a significant amount of it, rats are likely to be more attracted to your home.

Vasquez also advised not leaving doors open for pets as rats and mice can come in through them.

What is the best prevention for rats?

Vasquez said keeping a clean yard free of pet poop and clutter like wood piles can stop rats from being attracted to homes. Another problem Vasquez sees is people failing to clean up fruit in their yard left by fruit trees. The fruit typically stays on the ground and begins to ferment, which attracts rats and mice to the property.

Making sure outside doors don’t remain open for extended periods and plugging any holes around the home can help prevent rats from entering.

Ashley Zeme, a spokesperson with the Nevada Department of Wildlife, also said removing attractants, including food crumbs and spills and keeping food in glass, metal or heavy plastic containers, can also help prevent rat infestations in the home. Along with sealing up holes in the home and removing clutter to at least 20 feet from the home, she added that adding strong-smelling products like peppermint oil or hot sauce to potential entry points can also deter rats.

Zeme said being on the lookout for droppings or gnaw marks can help people to act quickly before reproduction and larger infestations happen in or near the home.

This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: The rat population is booming in Northern Nevada, says pest control company. Here’s why

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