Commercial rodent inspection in Toms River, NJ

Challenge

A metal fabrication warehouse in Toms River, NJ, contacted Cowleys because its employees were seeing quite a few Norway rats scurrying around their warehouse and offices. A bad situation! Norway rats sometimes called brown rats or sewer rats, are stocky burrowing rats that are larger and more aggressive than roof (or black) rats. They are the largest of the “commensal” rodents — rodents that thrive in close association with humans and thrive in human habitats where they are able to easily find food, water, and shelter. 

Solution

I began my inspection where the most recent rat sightings had occurred. I look for signs of rat activity such as droppings and greasy smears caused by oil and dirt in their coats along walls. Why walls? Rat vision is quite blurry compared to that of a human. Their vision does not have to be that precise since they are nocturnal pests, scavenging for food at night and then returning to their burrows before daylight. Because of their poor eyesight, rats will travel along the same indoor runways, which are often along walls. Also, rats tend to congregate in corners, leaving rodent droppings. I found most signs of rodent activity in the warehouse, but there was also activity in the office area.

Rodents need food, harborage, and water to survive and thrive. They are resourceful, resilient, intelligent animals. To help resolve a rodent infestation, it is imperative that any treatment eliminates one, two, or all of these items. The idea is to create an environment that is hostile to them, so they will look for one that is less challenging. In New Jersey, unfortunately, rats have almost an unlimited number of choices! During my inspection, I found several structural issues that needed to be addressed. This warehouse had plenty of easy potential access points for the rodents. Some exit doors needed new weatherstripping and had gaps. Also, the overhead receiving doors were left open all the time and the rubber stripping of those doors needed replacement as well. As far as harborage, there was significant weed overgrowth just outside the building that was ideal for rats. 

I brought my findings to my warehouse contact. He assured me that these issues would be quickly addressed. There are few things more troubling than a rat infestation, and he was committed to resolving this rat problem correctly and timely. I installed exterior rodent control boxes around the perimeter and places several bait boxes by the exit doors and bay doors. For a quick knockdown of the population, I strategically set up several snap traps throughout the interior. Following up a few days later, I removed several rats that were caught in the snap traps. The customer was quite pleased to see such dramatic results in getting rid of these rats.