CDC Warns Of Aggressive Cannibal Rats Facing Shortages Of Garbage To Eat
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Last edited Tue May 26, 2020, 04:10 PM - Edit history (2)
Source: The Guardian
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has warned of "unusual or aggressive" behavior in American rats as a consequence of more than two months of human lockdown for city-dwelling rodents who now find themselves unable to dine out on restaurant waste, street garbage and other food sources.
Last month, according to the national health body, dumpster-diving rats were observed resorting to eating their young in the wake of urban shutdowns. "Community-wide closures have led to a decrease in food available to rodents, especially in dense commercial areas," the CDC said in recently updated rodent-control guidelines.
"Some jurisdictions have reported an increase in rodent activity as rodents search for new sources of food. Environmental health and rodent control programs may see an increase in service requests related to rodents and reports of unusual or aggressive rodent behavior."
Elevated levels of rat aggression has been observed in New York, where there are increased reports of cannibalism and infanticide, and New Orleans, where unusual rat behavior was caught on CCTV. I turn the corner, there's about 30 rats at the corner, feasting on something in the middle of the street," Bourbon street tour guide Charles Marsala told CBS News...
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/may/25/us-city-lockdowns-rat-aggression-lack-food-waste
Rats have been on the rise in America before the coronavirus epidemic which has made it worse.
The rat problem is not only urban, they're active in suburbs as well, the pickings maybe better.
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Suburban Colorado home rat infestation, 2018.
DemoTex
(25,392 posts)Asking for a friend.
appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)Last edited Tue May 26, 2020, 04:15 PM - Edit history (1)
the coronavirus epidemic and 'food' shutdowns. They're even more ravenous now with slimmer pickings so beware.
- Report: CDC warns of hungry & aggressive rats due to restaurant closures from coronavirus lockdown.
Canoe52
(2,948 posts)JI7
(89,244 posts)It's a good time to fill those bait boxes...I hate those suckers..
Warpy
(111,222 posts)They eat a lot of things we don't consider edible like soap, glue, industrial chemicals.
While some will die off and be eaten by the rest, they will pick up their breeding as soon as restaurants reopen and the food supply increases.
LeftInTX
(25,201 posts)My garage is living proof!
tinrobot
(10,891 posts)yaesu
(8,020 posts)Historic NY
(37,449 posts)Ferrets are Cool
(21,105 posts)I am not too concerned.
Ford_Prefect
(7,875 posts)IronLionZion
(45,404 posts)these rats have set up large nests under abandoned buildings near food sources like restaurant dumpsters. There's less food in there now because of takeout so the rats are getting bolder and more aggressive. They're going to residential dumpsters since that's where the food is now.
DBoon
(22,350 posts)ToxMarz
(2,166 posts)mbusby
(823 posts)...owls and hawks when you need them.
appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)BunnyMcGee
(463 posts)appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)the eastern US. But they are fairly harmless (and not locusts) except for the racket of noise made by males thrumming to attract mates.
https://www.sciencealert.com/after-17-years-of-quiet-cicadas-are-set-to-deafen-parts-of-the-us
soothsayer
(38,601 posts)We had a huge rat population explosion last time cicadas emerged.
appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)DC, PA, VA, NC. That's a real shame, feast time. I remember them in DC 1986, 3 cycles ago, my Cocker Spaniel enjoyed them as snacks.
LudwigPastorius
(9,126 posts)I'm pretty sure Pestilence, Cannibal Rat, and Murder Hornet are 3 of the 4 horsemen of the Apocalypse.
appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)tblue37
(65,269 posts)appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)tblue37
(65,269 posts)appalachiablue
(41,113 posts)stretched to the max. We need to form a large new, comprehensive 'disaster corps' and medical service specifically for the Apocalypse ahead- around the corner actually.
roamer65
(36,745 posts)If they are getting aggressive, they can bite.
ffr
(22,665 posts)LeftInTX
(25,201 posts)Seriously rat snakes would do very well here. My lot is full of trees and we have roof rats, which live in trees. Unfortunately, the neighbors would probably kill the snakes.
RhodeIslandOne
(5,042 posts)oldsoftie
(12,516 posts)I hear there are more of them in NYC than people
JudyM
(29,225 posts)Alerted on for being over 12 hour limit. Oops.