The warmer-than-average temperatures are bringing some unwanted guests to Moncton’s north end.
Rats have been appearing in both the city and residential areas.
"I had one in my garbage can, and I found another one in the grass not far from it," said homeowner Janet Denton.
A social media post has people from all over the area chiming in with their personal horror stories – from children discovering the pests under porches, to rats hiding under barbecue covers.
"Any other place I've lived up in this end, I haven't seen them. Only down here. Maybe it's because of the woods, or something like that," said Denton.
According to a local exterminator, the marshy, wooded area could play a part, but any home could be a target for vermin.
"If the conditions are right, when they have an area where they can burrow underneath somebody's shed, in a woodpile in the yard, even in somebody's home, they're going to take that opportunity," said pest management technician Dale Hatchard.
With warmer weather expected to continue in the area, it's up to residents to make sure rats don't get comfortable.
"If you think about last year and how much snow was down, and the temperatures, weather this year so far has really been pretty easy on them," said Hatchard.
It's not up to the city to control problems with rats, though its pest control officer can help with a property inspection and make recommendations – one of which is to keep trash and compost out of a rat's reach.
"It tends to be common around where there's food available and if they have a place to burrow, so I've had a few interesting cases the average person wouldn't want to deal with," said Hatchard.
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Cami Kepke.
