From Cayman Islands Department of Environmental Health

Department of Environmental Health (DEH) staff members are asking the public to be vigilant in keeping properties rodent-free.

Rodents are prolific breeders. A single healthy pair of rats and their descendants can produce some 15,000 offspring in a single year. Since rodents can carry diseases such as leptospirosis, trichinosis, salmonellosis, rat-bite fever and more, these figures are alarming.

In addition, rodents destroy property. By gnawing electrical wires, they can cause fires and they also cut through screens, doors and floors, and rodents are widely known as food contaminators.

But because they are agile and adaptive, it can be difficult to prevent rodent infestation. They have a vertical jump of around two feet, and can walk along electrical wires. They can also survive falls of 50 feet, swim several miles and crawl through half-inch holes.

Rodents common to Cayman include the brown rat, roof rat and house mouse, all of which are easily identified by colour. The brown rat has a white abdomen, while the roof rat is blackish-grey, also with a white abdomen. The house mouse is brownish-grey all over.

Signs of infestation include droppings, urine odour, gnaw and rub marks, wall smears and burrows or runways in the ground.

Infestation rates increase when people carelessly dispose of garbage. Overgrown vegetation, derelict vehicles, discarded appliances and debris piles can also cause problems. Similarly, dilapidated buildings and pet food left outside are additional causes.

Good sanitation heads the list of preventative measures. Properties should be clean, with garbage stored in covered containers until collected by the DEH.

Old appliances and derelict vehicles should be removed and overgrown vegetation cut down. Metal collars should be placed around coconut and fruit-tree trunks and branches overhanging buildings should be trimmed.

Finally, homeowners can rodent-proof their houses by ensuring that doors fit tightly and by repairing holes in floors and walls.

Persons suspecting rodents on their property should call DEH on 949-6696 in Grand Cayman or 948-2321 on Cayman Brac. Department staff will apply rodenticide (poison) as necessary.