Rodents & Other Pests

Rats

Alberta Rat Control Program

Being a municipality that is adjacent to the Saskatchewan border, the Municipal District of Bonnyville participates in the Alberta Rat Control Program that is intended to prevent the introduction and establishment of Norway Rats and rabies disease.

Want to learn more about rats?

Rat Control

Farm inspections are carried out at all farm sites and acreages within first range adjacent to the Saskatchewan border to detect and control any rat infestations that may occur as rats attempt to cross over into Alberta. Bait is provided to residents living in this area to assist in preventing the establishment of rats on their property.

Rabies Control

With respect to rabies control, any suspect animal may be destroyed, and the head submitted to Health Canada for diagnosis of the disease. If a positive case is confirmed, a general depopulation of skunks may be conducted in the area where the confirmed case originated. The M.D. is part of the Rabies Testing Program for the Province of Alberta. For the last five years (2018-2022) the M.D. has submitted skunk heads to the provinces for testing.  

Richardson’s Ground Squirrels and Northern Pocket Gopher

The M.D. rents out mole and small animal traps. Phone the office at 780-826-3951 for more info or to rent a trap. 

There are several control options available to M.D. residents for the control of Richardson ground squirrels (Gophers). 

Cultural Control - Reduce preferred gopher habitat by leaving vegetation long and do not overgraze pastures. Deep tillage can destroy their old burrow systems. Build nesting boxes, raptor platforms, perches, and other wildlife habitat to encourage natural predation. 

Chemical Control - As of March 4, 2020, Health Canada has cancelled the registration of 2% liquid strychnine used to control Richardson’s Ground Squirrels, with final production ending on March 4, 2021, and sales ending on March 4, 2022. The product cannot be used past March 4, 2023. The M.D. of Bonnyville is sold out of strychnine. The M.D has RoCon and Rozol for the control of Richardson Ground squirrels. 

For more information on managing Richardson’s Ground Squirrels, click here.

Muskrats

The M.D. of Bonnyville can provide guidance and information on muskrats. Phone the office at 780-826-3951.

Magpies

The M.D. of Bonnyville has rental magpie traps. Phone the office at 780-826-3951 for more info or to rent a trap. Click here for more information on Magpies.

Porcupines

The M.D. has live traps. Phone the office at 780-826-3951 for more info or to rent a trap. For information on how to control porcupine damage, click here.

Skunks

The M.D. of Bonnyville has rental skunk traps. Phone the office at 780-826-3951 for more info or to rent a trap. To learn more about the biology of skunks and how to control them, click here.

Click here for information on how to set a skunk trap. After the trap is set we usually use cat food as bait behind the pan of the trap. Other baits that can be used are dog food, canned sardines, eggs, canned tuna, crisp bacon, chicken entails, fresh insect larvae, marshmallows, and bread with peanut butter.  

Watch this video of how to set the live trap and how to release the skunk.