It’s probably not something you’d hear from your neighborhood Realtor or friendly staff at the Chamber of Commerce, but if you ask Chuck Thurman if there are more rats running around Folsom lately, you’ll get an affirmative response.

Thurman, a Folsom native who owns and operates Golden Bear Pest Control, said he’s been swamped with rodent-related calls in recent months.

“It’s definitely been one of the worst seasons I can recall,” he said. “And we’ve been in business going on 25 years.”

The veteran pest guy said it really hit him a few months back, when he and another local exterminator ran into each other while both stocking up on rat poison.

“We looked at each other and I said, ‘Are you getting more rat calls?’ He immediately said yes. But neither one of us could tell you why,” Thurman said.

The Telegraph recently trailed Thurman as he handled a call at a 1930s era home on Coloma Street. The house had an infestation in the basement and also in the garage, where the rats had taken up residence in the roof and in an old set of workbench drawers.

“But what’s really interesting is that we’re not just getting these types of calls from the older houses in town,” Thurman said. “We’ve had just as many in some of the fancier, newer neighborhoods. No area in Folsom is immune.”

So what makes this year different from past years? UC Davis professor Terrell Salmon said it could have everything to do with this year’s El Nino climate pattern.

Salmon, who specializes in wildlife damage prevention, said more rain during the winter months means more vegetative growth during spring and summer.

“I’m not sure you could attribute that to a population explosion,” he said. “But more rain definitely means there would be more food sources later in the year, and that would draw more rats.”

Thurman said the best thing you can do to avoid an infestation is to seal up holes where the critters look to enter.

“They can get through a hole the size of a quarter,” he said. “It’s really important that you make sure your roof vents are sealed and intact. And if you have pipes or anything coming through the wall, make sure they’re sealed tight.”

If your rat problem appears to be manageable, Thurman recommends T-Rex poison traps, which can be purchased at Lowe’s or Home Depot. The traps contain the active ingredient diphacinone, which generally kills the rodents within three to five days.

But if you’re looking for professional help, he can be reached at (916) 983-7378.

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FACTS ABOUT RATS

Rats often live in attics, crawlspaces, wood piles, chimneys and basements.

Rats measure six to 12 inches long and can weigh up to a pound.

Rats only need a hole the size of a quarter to fit through. Rats will get into any opening they can squeeze their heads through. They can gnaw into a roof’s overhangs, shingles and where two roofs meet. Rats can even get into the attic at points where water lines and wires enter the home.

Rats are primary carriers of murine typhus, leptospirosis, trichinosis, salmonella, ratbite fever and plague as well as more than 30 other diseases.

Seal all entry points into homes and make sure screens leading into crawlspaces are intact. Fill small holes with steel wool. Put caulk around the steel wool to keep it in place.

Pet food, dog manure, open garbage cans or cans without tight fitting lids or bags of garbage, bird seed or other food scraps left outside are an open invitation for rats. Never put household garbage or food scraps in compost piles.

Source: Centers for Disease Control