Apache Junction sits on the Sonoran Desert, and scurrying on its floor are varieties of rats that include packrat builders, woodrats, and cotton rats. Predators prey on these rodents, making them essential to the desert ecosystem and they reproduce in great numbers quickly, up to 10 litters per pair in a year. Left unchecked, they can wreak havoc on property and health.

What damages can desert rats cause?
Rats have the instinctive need to gnaw to trim their constantly growing teeth. They could gnaw through wires and even automobiles and structural elements like cars, trucks, RVs, and park model homes, creating fire hazards in an already dry climate and expensive repairs. Rats build nests from not only sticks and grass but also garbage and toys – sometimes under the hood of cars too causing costly damage to your automobiles – a reminder of how well “they’ve adapted to us moving into their environment.” Rats also pose health risks to us and our pets, such as parasites and diseases, through bites and contact with feces or urine that could get on our food.

Can I leave rat poison out?
It can seem like a reasonable, effective solution to curb rat populations, but it’s a bad idea. Rat poison can actually increase their numbers and indirectly poison – then kill – their predators like owls and hawks. Many affected wildlife could be protected or endangered! Children and pets can also accidentally ingest the poison, which can lead to illness or death. And if rats get into your homes and ingest the poison, they could die within your walls and rot for weeks – can you imagine the foul smell and extensive work required to find the source?