RODENTS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
RODENTS
• Rodents are mammals of the order Rodentia,
which are characterized by a single pair of
continuously growing incisors in each of the
upper and lower jaws. About 42% of all mammal
species are rodents; they are found in vast
numbers on all continents except Antarctica.
• Most populous mammals
• An animal with back-bone and mammary glands
LIFE CYCLE
MATING
MATURITY GESTATION
21 DAYS
JUVENILE DELIVERY
1-4 MOS.
WEANING LACTATION
21 DAYS
Characteristics of Rats
• Poor vision but sensitive to motion
• Sensitive sense of smell, taste, touch, and hearing
• Nocturnal – active
by night
• Good climbers
• Good swimmers
• Has chisel – like teeth/incisors
Reasons why some fields are prone
to rat damage
• Availability of food
• Availability of cover
• Availability of water
• Less competition
• Less predators
• Availability of breeding areas
• Rodent species in the area is/are used to
disturbance
RAT DAMAGE
➢Damage in the seedbed can be due to rats
consuming seeds directly or pulling up
germinating seeds later on
➢Rats cut or pull up recently transplanted seedlings
result in missing hills
➢Rats cut or bend older tillers to reach the
developing panicles. The eaten or chewed area on
the stem may resemble insect damage.
➢As the crop matures, rat cut or bend tillers to cut
the ripening grain
➢Damage tillers are cut near the base at 45⁰ angle
SIGNS OR INDICATIONS OF PRESENCE
OF RODENTS
1. Foot prints
2. Dropping
3. Rat holes/burrows
4. Run ways
5. Damage/ cut tillers
6. Presence of live rodents
7. Presence of “island of damage”
8. Feces
CAUSES OF RODENT OUTBREAK
1. High residual population from the previous
season
2. Absence of adverse climatic conditions
3. Availability of food, water and shelter
4. Artificial reduction method is not sustained
RODENT PESTS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
Rattus tanezumi (Oriental
House Rat)
Also known as the Asian rat or Asian house rat, is a species
of rodent in the family Muridae. It is closely related to the
black rat (Rattus rattus). It is widespread in eastern,
southern and south-eastern Asia,
Formerly given the name Rattu rattus mindanensis Marns
- 175 g with medium size
- Tail uniform dark ussually longer than the head plus
body
- Mammary formula:2+3=10
Rattus argentiventer
is a medium-sized rat with grizzed yellow-
brown and black pelage that is not spiny
when stroked. Its belly is grayish in the
midline with whiter flanks.
The dorsal sufaces of its hind feet are about
the same color as its back and often have a
dark spot or line. The tail is uniformly
medium brown. Rattus argentiventer is 304-
400mm long with a tail length of 140-
200mm and a skull length of 37-41mm. (Van
Peenen 1969)
Mammary formula: 3+3=12
Polynesian rats (Rattus
exulans)
Rattus exulans can live in a
variety of habitats including
grassland, scrub and forests,
provided that it has adequate
food supplies and shelter. It is
not a good swimmer, but is
able to climb trees for food.
Mammary formula 2+2=8
House mice( Mus musculus
castaneous)-
generally live in close
association with humans-- in
houses, barns, granaries, etc.
They also occupy cultivated
fields, fencerows, and even
wooded areas, but they
seldom stray far from
buildings.
Weight: 12g
Management Strategies:
Cultural Methods
• Environmental manipulation
– Reduction of food sources and harborage
– Keeping the field clean
– Reduction of paddy dikes
• Synchronized planting of large areas
• A community approach/effort is very much
recommended
Physical/Mechnical
Using the Trap Barrier System (TBS)
For every 10 ha contiguous rice area.
– Plant rice in a 20 x 20 m area one month
before the normal planting time.
– Use aromatic or good eating quality rice
variety.
– Fence the area with 25
inches high plastic sheets
(similar to the material
used to cover books).
Using the Trap Barrier System (TBS)
– Install rat traps in four
locations inside the
fence area.]
– Use bamboo stakes
to erect the plastic
material. The stakes
should be inside the
plastic fence.
Using the Trap Barrier System (TBS)
– The trap is made of
metal screen wire
(rectangular in shape),
having a coneshaped
inclined entrance tunnel
narrowing to the end with
bent metal wire. Rats are
caught in the traps while
trying to enter the trap
barrier system.
Advantages of the TBS
• Environment-friendly and relatively low-cost technology.
• The TBS capitalizes on the rat’s behavior of entering holes and running
along sides of the rice paddy in search for food.
• TBS is more effective when adopted as a community-wide action to
control rats.
Advantages of the TBS
• Rat control using TBS should start right after
the seedbed to protect the seedlings.
• Requires P2700 (P1900 for plastic, P600 for
four rat traps, and P200 for labor)
• Digging and burrow flooding
Rat burrows are destroyed by digging. Rats are
driven out and killed with sticks.
➢ Burrow Flooding
Pour water into the entrance to drive rats out of
their burrows and kill by hand or clubbing
Advantages:
a. Safe on the environment
b. Effective in large scale
Physical control
Night rat hunting
Community wide rat hunting
• Flame thrower
-Heat or smoke flame forces
rats from their burrow. Once
out they are killed by hand or
stick
Blanketing system
➢ Biological
Biocon-snake, cat
Two types of rodenticide
• Acute rodenticide = Pre-baiting: before seeding or before
transplanting -use acute (single-dose) poison
(Ex. Zinc phosphide)
• Chronic rodenticide = 2 WAT: 5 baiting stations/ha (6
tbsp./station) use chronic (multiple-dose)
([Link] (Racumin)
• Use of Rodenticides
a. Chronic- Slow acting (Racumin-1:19)
-Affected rats bleed to death
[Link]- Fast acting (Zinc phosphide- 1:150)
-Cause dead shortly after ingestion
-Highly toxic to rats and other
animals, including human being
Advantages:
1. Product is readily in the market for use
2. Effective
Disadvantages:
1. Not safe to the environment
2. Can kill non target animals like dog,
chicken and others
WITHOUT INTERVENTION THERE
IS A VIOLENT POPULATION
INCREASE OF RODENT
❖1 pair of rat can increase up to 500 to
1,000 individuals and can consume of
up to 140 cavans per year.
❖Yield loss of up to 60%
❖Attack and cause at sowing to harvesting and
storage
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