Three Regional Strategies to Avoid Rodenticides
Sarasota Audubon
Many dead eagles, owls and hawks test positive for rodenticides.
Don't use:
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BROMODIALONE
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BRODIFACOUM
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DIFETHIALONE
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DIFENACOUM
The use of rodenticides, also known as rat poison, has been a common practice by many throughout the years. However, researchers have realized that rodenticides are impacting more than just the rodent population.
Birds of prey, or raptors, such as eagles, hawks, ospreys, buzzards, owls, and falcons, often feast on rodents as their main source of food. The use of rodenticides often leave remnants in the deceased animal. Therefore, when another animal consumes the dead rodent, the animal is also consuming rodenticides.
The consumption of this lethal substance will stop the blood from clotting, therefore, when a raptor is involved in an accident or is injured, they will often die of blood loss.
Link: Sarasota Site​
Audubon of Western Everglades (Naples)
Reproductively, rodents are some of the most successful mammals on the planet. Females can give birth to litters of 5 to 8 pups up to 10 times a year. Science shows us that in the long-term, poisons do not work; they typically will not eliminate all rodents, and those that survive may pass on their adapted resistance to poison to future generations. The safest, most humane, least toxic, and most sustainable approach is population management via exclusion, relocation and reduction of reproduction where possible.
Marco Island approach is to seal the house and use population control with Good Bites. Pellet feed that controls female rat's reproduction. Seal your home from intruders with a Pest Control agent.
Marco Island uses 239-946-7287 (estimated cost $150).
More information click files below:
7,800 Burrows Map Link
Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife
Burrowing owls are being found dead in their nests after picking up rats that have ingested rat poison left out by people in Cape Coral.
“I lose sleep,” said Pascha Donaldson with Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife. “That’s all I can say. I lose sleep.” What makes it tough for Donaldson is that the burrowing owls do not have to die. Cape Coral Friends of Wildlife say they know of at least 11 burrowing owl deaths in the last two weeks. The group traced the trend to the owls eating dead rats that contained rat poison. “I’ve probably picked up at least four or five babies, probably at least five adults,” Donaldson said.
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Might Hurricane Ian be to blame? Ian also uprooted much of their habitat.
Rats have become a problem since the storm. Donaldson says rat poison has a big impact on burrowing owls because rats are a staple in their diet.​​​“We’re in the height of baby season, so they’ll bring it back to the nest and feed it to their baby. And the babies all die. You’ve wiped out literally an entire family,” Donaldson said.
To keep the unofficial mascot of Cape Coral safe, there are other ways to control the rat population.
“If you’re forced to get rid of rats in a mechanical way, a snap trap inside one of those black plastic boxes is going to work as well as live traps,” said Ned Bruha, the Wildlife Whisperer owner.