Alberta Rats: Norway Critters Jeopardize Province's Rat-Free Status

[HPLovecraft]

Originally Posted by Bring_Back_Shantz

Why?
No one actually believes there are 0 rats in Alberta, that's impossible.
But probably the only place in the world with fewer rats in Alberta has a horrible penguin infestation, so I'd call it a pretty good deal.

The fact that I live in a city with over a million people, and I've never seen a rat (other than on vacation) is a pretty big deal.

I've lived in Toronto for years now and have actually worked on the streets (not hookin' or slangin') and I've only ever seen one rat, and that was in the GTA. I think they're probably good hiders.

[The Fonz]

I've always found that rat free claim to be a stupid one. To think there is not a rat in the whole province is moronic, and now when a rat is found it's deemed newsworthy. Who gives a crap

[undercoverbrother]

[Hatter]

Don't we have a ~500k per year rat squad? At least it gives them something to do I suppose. Not surprised they found them in the landfill, it's pretty well maintained and rats would be unlikely to hide for long.

The province has done a good job overall though, I live in Medicine Hat and have never seen a rat, but when I go visit family just across the border in Sask, you can drive up to a grain elevator at night and the headlights scare off swarms of them.

[Radio]

I can't believe that people are saying that they could care less about rats. The things are incredibly destructive and disgusting. You might change your tune if they infested your home.

Who cares about the rhetoric of what constitutes "rat free", the fact remains that Alberta has had a rat control program since the 50s and I for one have never seen a rat here. And I hope I never do.

This is Alberta's rat policy http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$departm.../all/agdex3441

Some of the high lites being...

It's illegal to own rats as pets in Alberta.

The Norway rat does not live in the wild and needs to live by people to survive.

They can't make it through the mountains so they mainly come from Saskatchewan.

There was a rat scare a few years back in Acadia I think where rats were found and trapped. They figured someone was keeping them illegally and released them for whatever reason.

So yeah when they are found here it's news worthy.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Radio

I can't believe that people are saying that they could care less about rats. The things are incredibly destructive and disgusting. You might change your tune if they infested your home..

That's true. I have lived in an a situation where there were lots of rats. It was extremely disgusting and dangerous

[Slava]

I suppose this thread should be bumped because of the rat found in Auburn Bay today. I knew the parasite communities around here were a concern, but never really thought to include Medicine Rat in those thoughts!

[sclitheroe]

Martin Schein, founder of the Animal Behavior Society in 1964, studied the diet of brown rats and came to the conclusion that the most-liked foods of brown rats include scrambled eggs, macaroni and cheese, and cooked corn kernels. According to Schein, the least-liked foods were raw beets, peaches, and raw celery.

Now you know.