RATS!

[tim]

This is an unpopular topic, but one of which visitors need to be aware. St. Barth has a serious rat problem, and don't let anybody tell you differently. I see them daily on the roads as road kill. I see them running around in various places on the island. I've heard two reports this past week of rats in people's homes, and I'm really glad my home is enclosed to prohibit such critters.

Most visitors do not handle their own trash disposal, but here are some thoughts for your consideration:

1. Be aware that rats are a part of life here that isn't going to change unless and until the trash collection procedures change. Trash filled with rat delicacies is routinely left on the side of the road overnight, or in many instances, for several days. The maids employed by the villa management agencies are some of the worst offenders in the improper disposal of trash.

2. For those who dispose of their own trash, do not leave your trash on the side of the road unless the trash truck is expected to pick it up within a few hours. The trucks make their rounds generally starting around 7:00 AM.

3. Recycle bottles and cans are picked up only once a week. Find out when that is from the agency, and don't leave them on the side of the road on other days.

4. If you feel sufficiently threatened or incensed about our rat population, complain to your villa rental agency.

I may quickly become a very unpopular dude with the tourism community, but it is what it is - RATS!

 

[MIke R]

saw lots of them dead and alive last June...even in the upscale neighborhoods....its what happens when there is a disconnect between development and the infrastructure....which there clearly is

as to being unpopular with the Chamber Commerce people...good for you...I'm on their s**tlist here 365/24/7...screw them...they don't want whats best for the resort...only whats best for them

 

[andynap]

Tim- when we stayed at Playa Dorada on St. Jean we had the upstairs bedroom with the little balcony overlooking the beach. Naturally we left the door open so we could enjoy- so you know what happened next- Phyllis saw a large RAT come walking into our room and then disappear. There were 4 of us and we all took a portion of the villa and searched and searched- nothing. The next morning we came down stairs and found a large bite out of an apple on the kitchen counter- YIKES. Good thing there were 2 days left of our stay because there was no way we were going to stay with a large RAT in the villa. We called the agency- nothing happened.

 

[JEK]

Not a new problem in the tropics. I can remember seeing one at the Guanahani on our first stay many, many years ago. If you walk/run/bike the roads you will see many of these "steamrolled" flatter than a pancake.


It isn't just people that find them obnoxious.

ABSTRACT: Introduced roof rats (Rartus rattus) pose a substantial threat to the fauna and flora of many tropical
islands. In the Caribbean, there is concern about rat impacts to several endangered species, including the Atlantic
hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata) and the least tern (Sterna antillarum). The authors surveyed the rat
population on Buck Island, Buck Island Reef National Monument, U .S. Virgin Islands in February 1998. Based on three
nights of trapping, rats were of low to moderate abundance during the sampling period when compared to results from
other Caribbean islands. The impact of rats on native vegetation was evident over the entire island. A rat management
program was proposed using anticoagulant rodenticide baits in bait boxes in and around the two picnic areas on the
island. Once an appropriate rodenticide registration is obtained, the baiting program can be extended to include the rest
of the island. The eventual eradication of rats from Buck Island will not only provide relief for several endangered
species nesting on the island, but will set the stage for the reintroduction of the endangered St. Croix ground lizard
(Ameiva polops).

 

[NYCFred]

My neighbor at the beach alerted me to the problem this summer...never saw one on FI before, I thought he might have mixed them up with possums...his response was, "I'm a city boy, and I know what a rat looks like." Brought it up at the community BOD meeting, and much the same response...they're out there, everybody knows it, and nobody talks about it.
Neighbor and I make a trip to the exterminator store in NYC, acquire bait, and lockable plastic bait stations, so the dogs/squirrels etc can't get at it. Other neighbor just goes and buys big snap traps. We got about 10 of the buggers last fall, and I will refresh the bait this spring.
Something you oughta think about, Tim. I'm pushing to have the garbage transfer station in my little town baited, but the issues remain the same. If you don't put trash out in a secure container, and a lot of the group rental homes don't, it's a damn banquet.
The county board of health was useless. Maybe I need to call the Feds.

 

[MIke R]

definitely not unique to the tropics...rats have accessed the islands from the many ships delivering supplies from all parts of the world for quite some time now...but it absolutely has increased big time in St Barts.....and they had better come up with a plan very soon....the very foo foo high maintenance people they are targeting in their marketing endeavors will be off like a prom dress and never return if they have to put up with rats eating their caviar....LOL

rats and dengue...nice combination dont ya think?

 

[griegle1]

Good suggestions. I can relate. We had the problem at Christmas time last year in a rental villa. The problem appeared in the first few days. The agency (a reputable one) was frankly unwilling to do much - chalking it up to the reality of island living etc..... They finally claimed that they "send someone out" but that someone was, as near as I could tell, a rental agent and not an exterminator.

Of course at that time of year, there were few if any places to move to. We had the added challenge of having our dogs with us, so certain types of traps or poison would not work. I ended up buying some traps and setting them up outside the place in areas the dogs could not get to. It did help. Frankly, we got at least one a day which is a bit unnerving in an of itself.

 

[nnoska]

i refer to this as the incident(s),they are even in the restos

 

[tom1]

.. and the funny thing is..: many came as tourists - from NY! )

 

[griegle1]

Maybe the leadership just needs to stratetically introduce a "superior" non native predator to eat all the rats. After all, what could possibly go wrong.........

 

[JEK]

But not a mongoose . . .

Mongoose are common on St. Croix, especially where there's food. They were originally brought from England to heed the number of rats that were destroying the sugar cane fields. Because mongoose are active in daylight and rats are nocturnal, their purpose was misguided. But as a result of their presence, we can proudly say there are no snakes in the wild on St. Croix.

 

[JoshA]

Both rats and mongoose are common on St. John as well. On our last visit, we learned, after our packaged breads and cereals were mysteriously ripped open and partially eaten, to keep all food in the refrigerator. We'll be smarter for our next visit upcoming in a month.

Then there are the donkeys ....

---------------

The zookeeper was unsure how to express the plural of mongoose. In a message to the breeder he wrote "Send me a mongoose. While you're at it, send me another one."

 

[bto]

Tim, having experienced a rodent villa visit in the past on SBH, it kind of takes the fun out of "outdoor living," n'est-ce pas?

Seriously, I can't even tell you how much I hate the thought of sharing my island villa with these critters...I mean, I know they're everywhere BUT.....

 

[ChLange]

Hummm

A rat burger....

 

[rivertrash]

A couple of years ago I had fun watching two or three of them running along the top of the wall behind the lobster tank at La Langouste. My wife was very unimpressed.

 

[tom1]

Seriously, I can't even tell you how much I hate the thought of sharing my island villa with these critters...I mean, I know they're everywhere BUT.....

.. and they live there for free, YOU are the one paying outrageous rent LOL!

 

[tom1]

Hummm

A rat burger....

no, mon cher : rattatouille!

 

[Voosh]

Maybe this explains the missing food episodes earlier this year in Pt. Milou? They figured how to get into refrigerators but not how to avoid getting flattened on the road. Maybe in the next Darwinian cycle.

 

[Peter NJ]

Josh if you have the chance to see the band Cool Session Brass on St John dont miss them..Check for them at Freds in Cruz Bay..They are the real deal..Reggae/Soca mix with horn section..I've had the pleasure playing Drums with them at Freds in another life..LOL

 

[ChLange]

Hummm

A rat burger....

no, mon cher : rattatouille!

ratatouille, c'est des l