Rodent management is never about just one method or tactic. A successful rodent IPM program uses a variety of tools that work together to prevent and eliminate rodents.
One of the newer players on the rodent IPM tool roster are rodent contraceptives. When you consider that two adult rats can be responsible for the birth of up to 15,000 pups over the course of one year, you can probably see the need to identify a way to reduce their ability to reproduce.
Richard Monastero, owner of Amtech Personalized Pest Management in Brookfield, Conn., said his commercial client base is continually threatened by rodents, particularly Norway rats, and that adding rodent contraceptives to his treatment regimen has proven successful.
“For accounts that experience issues with rodents over an extended period of time regardless of what prevention or management programs are in place, adding contraceptives makes sense,” said Monastero.
He said one food service client was in a particularly challenging situation because of its proximity to water and the fact it offered outdoor dining.
“The combination of abundant food waste coming off the patio and having water right next door, created the perfect storm to attract rats,” said Monastero.
Add to the mix multiple dumpsters and the facility’s high volume, and you had a challenging situation for any pest management professional.
Despite implementing an exterior baiting program and garnering cooperation from the owner on sanitation issues, the rats were still a problem. It was then that Monastero added ContraPest to his rodent control program.
“We are always looking to attack rodent infestations from as many different angles as possible and the concept sounded good,” said Monastero. “It works on both males and females and can be deployed in traditional bait stations, so it fit nicely with our regular IPM approach.”
Within three months of adding the contraceptive Monastero noticed a significant reduction in the rat population around the facility.
“There was no bounce back in the population like we had seen before,” said Monastero. “It has been a long-term win for us and the client.”
Benefits of Rodent Contraceptives
In commercial properties, rodent contraceptives allow pest management professionals to ‘stack the effects’ of their existing rodent IPM programs.
In both settings rodent contraceptives complement existing rodent IPM programs, without impacting non-target animals.
For best results pest management professionals need to blend rodent contraceptives with other methods including baits, traps, exclusion and sanitation.