01-30-2015, 06:32 AM
I was distressed to read the HTH article this week which said that RLW could live in water tanks, so I made some calls.
DOH Epidemiology branch recommends "rat control" since they are the primary vector. They also recommend slug and snail control, which is a bit more complicated in my eyes. I don't know of a way to bait for slugs and snails that won't kill my hens, dogs or cats except maybe the beer bottle method. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be interested. They also recommend chlorinating water tanks regularly. If I remember, the solution is 1 oz. per 1000 gallons, but I'm not sure. Maybe somebody has the booklet that has the exact amount needed to kill Lepto and other nasty things rats carry? I use the "glug glug glug" method, probably overkill, but it works for me.
I've found that rat control can be achieved fairly well with the help of, sorry, poison. We use rat bait stations found on Amazon for around 20$. They are hard to open even for humans, and pets can't get in them. (not even my rat terrier or chows) We are using 3 now. They also have the good "one bite" bait for sale, which we can no longer buy here at Ace or anywhere else for that matter. I believe it was banned for sale here a few years ago. It works. The rats love it.
I was told that UH School of Pharmacology is doing research in to the RLW problem and am waiting to hear from Dr. Susan Javie to see what else she can recommend, especially how to kill the organism in the water tank. The thought of this nasty bug living in my water tank is sickening, even though we don't drink it.
The last recommendation is that we wash all fruits and vegis really well.
The DOH is going to Farmer's Markets now and trying to pass the word, for which I am grateful.
I think it's really important that we keep this subject alive as it will save us a lot of misery if we learn how to live, safely with RLW. I'll post whatever I hear from UH FYI. Stay safe everybody!
DOH Epidemiology branch recommends "rat control" since they are the primary vector. They also recommend slug and snail control, which is a bit more complicated in my eyes. I don't know of a way to bait for slugs and snails that won't kill my hens, dogs or cats except maybe the beer bottle method. If anyone has any ideas, I'd be interested. They also recommend chlorinating water tanks regularly. If I remember, the solution is 1 oz. per 1000 gallons, but I'm not sure. Maybe somebody has the booklet that has the exact amount needed to kill Lepto and other nasty things rats carry? I use the "glug glug glug" method, probably overkill, but it works for me.
I've found that rat control can be achieved fairly well with the help of, sorry, poison. We use rat bait stations found on Amazon for around 20$. They are hard to open even for humans, and pets can't get in them. (not even my rat terrier or chows) We are using 3 now. They also have the good "one bite" bait for sale, which we can no longer buy here at Ace or anywhere else for that matter. I believe it was banned for sale here a few years ago. It works. The rats love it.
I was told that UH School of Pharmacology is doing research in to the RLW problem and am waiting to hear from Dr. Susan Javie to see what else she can recommend, especially how to kill the organism in the water tank. The thought of this nasty bug living in my water tank is sickening, even though we don't drink it.
The last recommendation is that we wash all fruits and vegis really well.
The DOH is going to Farmer's Markets now and trying to pass the word, for which I am grateful.
I think it's really important that we keep this subject alive as it will save us a lot of misery if we learn how to live, safely with RLW. I'll post whatever I hear from UH FYI. Stay safe everybody!