Please stop putting out rat poison in the Crestwood Hills. Rat poison not only kills the rats and mice of Crestwood Hills, but also hawks, owls, coyotes, mountain lions and other predators. A number of neighbors have reported an uptick deaths among our precious ecosystem including the hawk in the picture above. We are counting on you to spread the word and make this an ongoing discussion amongst your neighbors and exterminators.

Here are some pest control options that work well without harming our precious wildlife:

1. Victor Electronic Rat Trap; $49.95 at Orchard Supply Hardware. Requires batteries.

This trap is allegedly more human and instantly zaps the pest with no pain. One set of batteries can work on up to 50 pests. You must check and empty it daily. It will not harm skunks or larger animals in my experience. Make sure to keep it out of range from sprinklers and rain. Water can damage them, but Orchard Supply Hardware will replace any defective units just keep your receipt and box.

2. Barn Owl Boxes

You can purchase an Owl Box from the Ojai Raptor Center at the following link, http://www.ojairaptorcenter.org/barnowlbox2sm.jpg. If you have land or want to donate one for the Association’s land, a properly placed Owl Box can encourage predators.

3. Rodent Proof Your Home

– Seal all cracks larger than one-fourth inch (the space needed for a mouse to slip through) with hardware cloth, metal sheeting or mortar.

– Trim back tree branches so none come within 6 feet of your roof.

– Seal rooms where you keep feed or put feed in metal containers with tight-fitting lids.

– Keep the areas around your house and outbuildings clean to reduce or eliminate rodent hangouts, such as old appliances, trash lumber, junk vehicles, open garbage cans or dense thickets of weeds.

– Allow a margin of mowed open space between buildings and nesting sites, such as a woodpile.

– Inside your house, stack stored goods off the floor, on pallets or shelves, and leave some open space along the base of all walls.

Read more: http://www.motherearthnews.com/homesteading-and-livestock/rodent-proof-your-home-zmaz04onzsel.aspx#ixzz2wLEa58t8

4. Ratx, a new nontoxic rat dehydration formula http://www.ratxproducts.com. Ratx works by overdosing the rat on salt. It will not harm other animals who can simply drink more water, whereas rats absorb water in their intestines from food.

EPA and City Bans on Rat Poison

The EPA and cities across the country are working to ban rat poison due to its harmful effects on children, dogs, and beneficial wildlife, not to mention the persistence in the environment as it accumulates in streams and rivers. It is our responsibility as homeowners in Crestwood Hills to protect our environment and do the least harm.

Here is a list of rodenticides the EPA is banning, please check your stocks and dispose of properly. http://epa.gov/pesticides/mice-and-rats/cancellation-process.html

Malibu has already passed legislation banning the sale of rodenticides.

Please comment with other humane pest control methods that have worked for your home.