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April 7, 2006
"Menacing Pests" Take Over Carroll Gardens
Residents of Luquer Street in Carroll Gardens say their block has been overrun by a fearless gang of rats. "They sit there and look at you; they are not afraid," said Lisa Demaio. The culprit? The 11-story condo development on Luquer between Clinton and Hamilton. "This is a serious health and safety issue, and there has been little to no response - until today," said Alison Carrabba. The developer, Moses Gross, doesn't deny the cause, but points out that it's a typical result of demolition. "I don't think [extermination] will help," he said. "Rats are not something we can control."
Rat Invasion Angers Nabe [NY Daily News]
Comments
The rats were crazy a few years ago when they are excavating for the Ukranian Museum on East Sixth Street. They were scurrying about everywhere.
In Greenpoint, the rats simply have no fear, they rule my block. There are plenty of well fed feral cats though, perhaps that is what they need in CG. Bring on the coyotes.
How come no other city, Chicago, London, Seattle seems to have such a nasty virulent rat population? Its noticably more an issue in New York than elsewhere. Still it is better than it was years ago, the number of in your face rats staring you down has certainly dropped off.
Posted by: GrandPa at April 7, 2006 9:46 AM
Isn't this near Frankie's? Yum!
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 10:05 AM
I live on Luquer and I'm one of the residents who has been calling (pleading?) with the city to help us out. It really is disgusting on my street, and we can't seem to do anything to stop them. All of my neighbors and I have been vigilant about keeping our garbage covered and our streets clean, but still the rats come. I'm particularly frustrated with the developer's flip attitude (especially since he'll be making our street a noisy construction zone for the next year with an 11-story building!).
Do any Brownstoner readers have ideas of what my neighbors and I can do? Any tips that have worked for others in different neighborhoods? We've probably placed 50 calls to 3-1-1 to no avail.
Posted by: shelz123 at April 7, 2006 10:20 AM
There goes my breakfast. Ugh.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 10:22 AM
I'm in Greenpoint and, thank goodness, have only seen rats by the subways.
Which block(s) are they a taking over?? I may redirect my evening stolls.
Thanks!!
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 10:26 AM
I'm always up for a good game of rodent soccer...
Posted by: Rocknrope at April 7, 2006 10:27 AM
Live there too. Maybe we should focus on the 11 story development instead. Even 11 stories in Carroll Gardens is more pleasant than talking about these bold dayrunners.
Posted by: Adam at April 7, 2006 10:33 AM
have you kept all your complaint numbers? go to the newspapers, tell them you've complained to 311 50 times and nothing has been....nothing more motivating then bad press.
Posted by: anon at April 7, 2006 10:42 AM
The cats, I mean rats, are in Clinton Hills too. Not as bad though. I can remember at least 3 scary encounters over the past 6 mths.
I lived in Wash D.C. also and remember running across these cats/rats also. It's not just nyc; but I think it's worse here.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 10:52 AM
memo: nyc has rats.
Posted by: 9000 at April 7, 2006 11:10 AM
This was an issue in the Slope a few years ago- 14 caught in a few days in the Park Slope Methodist Church yard where all of the kids played- at the time of all of the construction on 8th St. I am surprised on a website that is all about housing and "renewal", the subject doesn't come up more often...
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 11:12 AM
How weird. I just finished reading this fascinating book on rats in NYC a day or so ago: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1582344779/sr=8-2/qid=1144422681/ref=pd_bbs_2/002-5810410-5286450?%5Fencoding=UTF8. All I can say about Luquer is that I'm glad I live a good 15 blocks north of it. Outside of that, what the book asserted over and over is that rats care about one thing: eating. And that generally means eating garbage. If their food source goes away, they either start killing each other (yuck), go somewhere else where there's food, or become so stressed they start dying off (check out Mr. Sidewalk). Now, you probably want the middle option, so you might have to get the whole block involved. Go over to Lowe's and buy a ton of garbage cans that snap shut. Regular garbage cans can easily be gotten into. You need to make it impossible to get to the food. Get everyone to use them and maybe recruit some neighbors to make sure they're shut. Because honestly, killing a few in traps will only make the remaining ones happier to stay, since it's more food for them.
I can't believe I just did an informational post about rat control.
Posted by: Poor man's fake expert at April 7, 2006 11:24 AM
When all the construction began in downtown Brooklyn in the 90's, my street saw a huge influx of rats running from the construction. They came into the buildings and one night the upstairs tenant awoke to find one sitting on the bed by his feet. You could hear him scream over 1/2 of Brooklyn! The rats are probably still there- I once saw about ten of them run from a garbage area.
Posted by: Bx2Bklyn at April 7, 2006 11:24 AM
Poor man's fake expert - I can't believe you just read a fascinating book about rats (!)
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 11:27 AM
I protest! I am an upstanding member of the Brooklyn community ( in fact the country!) and I pay my taxes! this is my town! I've been here longer than you and what do I get? I get to live in subway tunnels, dark corners and basements. I get to eat garbage, get chased by cats and poisoned by people. No one cares that I am smart, I come in lots of colors and curly coats too. My property is always taken through eminent domain- does anyone care? NO! All I ever asked for was a bit of cheese, a little nest to lay my head and the chance to see my children grow up to be good little rats. Well, you won't have Chuck.E. Jeez to kick around anymore! My pointy snout (adorably cute I've been told) and my bald tail (a little iffy on the cute) are outta here. I'm moving to Manhattan- they really know how to treat a rat!
Posted by: Chuck E. Jeez! at April 7, 2006 11:33 AM
Try getting some attention from the Community Board - its on Baltic Street..they sometimes can get city's ear and a little quicker action.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 11:41 AM
Real funny Chuck E. Jeez.
I'd read a book about rats in nyc too. Those suckers are horrifying, especially when you seem them on the subway platform. They've got to over a foot long. They're practically bigger than the average rat-dog in manhattan. Not to offend the rat-dog owners.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 11:46 AM
Oh no! That's my Melvin!
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 11:57 AM
I've always thought Chihou...chijouhus....chi wow was.....
rat dogs looked like rats.
Wake up and smell the coffee!
Posted by: Choochoo at April 7, 2006 12:12 PM
>I can't believe you just read a >fascinating book about rats (!)
And here's the punchline: I'm actually really freaked out by rats. I picked up the book because it looked clever, and I thought it would demystify them a bit. Turns out that every time I sat down to read it, I'd get random little itches on my feet and legs. Ha!
But it was indeed interesting. Discusses the whole history of how they got here, how they thrive, etc. Lots of interviews with long-time exterminators that were crazy New York characters. Nuts.
Posted by: Poor man's fake expert at April 7, 2006 12:48 PM
anon. 10:52, do you really live in CLINTON HILL? if you do you would not put an S on the end of hill. please get your neighborhood names straight. btw, it is also fort greene not forte green.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 12:48 PM
it always helps to have a hard-of-hearing, grammar and spelling school teacher on the blog. I stand corrected.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 12:57 PM
Chuck E. Jeez
you da bomb!!
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 1:02 PM
Does no one care about my Melvin?
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 1:11 PM
I care! I knew Melvin when he had great digs! I can give you a nice baggie to bury him in. (extra heavyweight!)
Posted by: Chuck E. Jeez! at April 7, 2006 1:14 PM
collect all the dead rats and throw them into the contruction site or get some jack russell terriers to kill them. mine does a number on the rats on my block.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 2:54 PM
just get cats, they love them rats.
Posted by: armchair warrior at April 7, 2006 3:54 PM
Yes- demo stirs them up but if the rats food source is removed, they'll leave. The City of Buffalo required people to change their garbage containers to a heavy lidded one that can be picked up by specially equipped trucks. They don't require any lifting by the garbage men-just attaching and pushing a button. The totes are too thick for rats to chew into. They're kind of like mini dumpsters. The program resulted in reducing rat complaints by 95%. After the initial cost of outfitting trucks, it saves money on manpower as well. Unfortunately for the first ring Buffalo suburbs, the rats have moved into their towns creating a big problem. So, proof that eliminating the food supply will cause rats to leave. Most people here use cans with lids they can nose into or plastic that they can chew or just set bags out overnight for early trash pick-up. That and any litter laying around is enough to keep them from finding new digs.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 6:00 PM
The grammar police is not so much grammar as it is annoyance at people who call Clinton Hill "Clinton Hills". I think it sounds stupid too... unless you are trying to sound 'gangsta' or something.
Posted by: Anonymous at April 7, 2006 7:12 PM
I live in downtown Manhattan. A few years ago, a sink hole appeared in the street in front of my building. When the city came to fix it they stuck a tiny video camera attached to a long hose into the hole and under the street. I did't see the video, but was told by the workers that they saw thousands of rats down there -- basically rat city.
I rarely see rats on the street in my neighborhood, and when I do they look drugged and about to croak. All those rats can't be living off building refuse alone. There's gotta be some other source of food -- possibly leaking sewage -- that keeps such a large thriving rat population in existence.
Posted by: ebomb at April 7, 2006 11:16 PM
Ok, there are rats on my street. The problem is not horrible but they are there - sometimes more, sometimes less. I have written letters to the health dept and the rat control team, etc and the health dept' came out and delivered all new free garbage cans to my block - supposedly 'rat proof' cans. I can attest that it has helped some. The way I see it, like the Buffalo story, is that if garbage is being set out on the street every other day for pickup - just out on the sidewalk - well then the rats will continue to be fed. The food source has to be eliminated - then they will go away. Talk to everyone on your block and make a pact to keep garbage ALWAYS in lidded, tight containers, even for pickup. Then give it a month and I bet the rat presence decreases. Get rid of the food and get rid of the rat. (I also read that rat book from previous post, very interesting)
I don't know why NYC doesn't change their sanitation removal policies. leaving the bags out there on the street overnight is such a terrible idea for any nabe. It just asks rats to come and have dinner every other day. stupid.
Posted by: bushwicker at April 8, 2006 12:38 PM
Typical construction issue, once the nests stop being disturbed, this issue will calm down. The rats wont go away (they are all around us everyday) but their habitat will return to normal and they wont be forced out into the open.
I am curious what Bushwicker might suggest regarding trash control, which is really the only effective manner of protecting yourself.
I dont want to keep my trash inside for a week, and I doubt any brownstones have trashrooms, so.....?
I see a few brownstones with boxed-in trashcans but I believe those are for aesthetics not rat proffing. A steel version of that might be best. Of course a big steel box in front of every house on the block would freak people out.
A sealed dumpster at the end of every block? Could be cool and you could toss your trash anytime.
Posted by: Max at April 8, 2006 5:25 PM
in ancient times people understood that rats are holy and very important for a city. They are clearvoyant and the first animals to know when a catastrophy is coming,they warn the people because they LEAVE the city.Also Rats are very social. They NEVEr leave a dead familty member and drag them with them . They are highly developped and they are in deep mourning and panick because humans destroy their living grounds.
In my country rats are called the health police because where they are they clean the streets from trash
THINK and study the old wisdom befor yoiu make wrong choices
Rats are not the problem- HUMANS are
Posted by: J.M. at April 9, 2006 11:21 AM
The problem is that people stack bags of trash on the sidewalk. Fix that, there goes your rat problem.
Here in SoCal we have lidded, dumpster-style cans which can be picked up by a robot-arm on the garbage trucks.
State of the art.
Posted by: Sassy at April 10, 2006 10:23 AM
two tips that make sense on paper only:
1) don't put garbage out night before. When we try this, it ends up being the morning the darn truck came crack of dawn and then we miss the pick up.
2) Get heavy-duty, lidded trash cans. We stopped using trash cans because they get stolen, plain and simple.
I'm all for rat control, but there are a lot of variables when it comes to NYC trash pickups...
Posted by: kcf at April 10, 2006 10:52 PM
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