Oh, Rats: Rodent Reports Rampant, Decrease Locally

Despite a mild winter leading to more rat sightings in other areas of the city, reports of the rodents have actually decreased in North Center.

There have been 31 percent fewer formal complaints about the critters locally during the first few months of the year compared with the same time period in 2012, according to 311, Chicago's service report hotline. 

Between Jan. 1 and March 18 of this year, 109 requests were placed locally asking that workers from the Chicago Department of Streets & Sanitation send crews to public spaces—alleys or parking areas—to spread poisoning. During the same time in 2012, there were 159 such calls.

Similar mild weather last year led city workers to bait about twice as many rodents as in 2011, . In North Center, that increase was 50 percent—from 744 calls in 2011 to 1,120 in 2012.

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But baiting those rodents alone will not solve the problem, Sheahan said.

“It’s interesting because there are so many neighborhoods where there’s a big rodent problem, and you go through the alleys and it’s very neat and tidy,” she said. “But there’s dog waste, and that’s bringing rodents to the neighborhood.”

One important, though not entirely obvious, way to discourage rodents from getting too cozy in North Center is to pick up pet waste.

Using ordinance 7-12-420 of Chicago’s Municipal Code, both employees of Streets & Sanitation and area police departments have the authority to issue tickets to those who fail to pick up after pets. A fine for the offense can cost between $50 and $500, as determined by a hearing officer.

Brad Rietner, an exterminator with Chicago-based Critter Control, recently described rats to North Side Patch blogger and Medill Reporter Marina Cracchiolo as versatile animals that can survive in many conditions.

“Rats are the cockroaches of the mammal world,” he said.

The Norway rat—the only breed found in Chicago—has an average life span of 6 to 12 months, according to information provided by the City of Chicago.

"Beginning at the age of 2 to 3 months, a female rat can produce four to seven litters per year with each litter containing eight to twelve pups," it says. "Females can become impregnated within 48 hours after giving birth."

The number, size and survivability of litters produced depends on how much food and shelter is at hand.

"They prefer fresh food, but will eat many things such as pet food, dog feces, garbage and plants," the city site says. "If food is scarce, the strongest rats may even eat the weakest and young."

Rats carry a variety of potentially infected fleas and ticks which may be passed on to people, city workers say. In rare occurrences, especially when cornered, rats can bite humans or pets.

Residents can file both exterior and interior rat complaints at cityofchicago.org, by calling 311 directly, or their local alderman's office.

Local Voice writer Marina Cracchiolo and Patch Freelancer Kathryn Jepsen contributed to this report.

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