Squirrel-sized rats invade homes in The Villages

Villages of Santiago residents spot large, aggressive rats

THE VILLAGES, Fla. – A couple of homeowners in the Villages of Santiago tell News 6 that they have a rodent problem.

Gary Blanchard is a 20-year resident. He said that he has never seen rats so large and aggressive.

"They're the size of the squirrels, except they don't have the bushy tail, and when I can catch them in my possum and raccoon trap, that's pretty bad," said Blanchard. "Then when it got to the point where certain things were coming up missing or chewed on or things like that is when I started following suit with it."

His neighbor, Sally Childs, said that she too is dealing with the problem.

"I've seen one and it was a foot long," said Childs. "I felt nauseous. I really did. It made me absolutely sick to my stomach."

The property manager of the Villages of Santiago tells News 6 that until recently, there was a bird feeder in the area that might have attracted the rats. The property manager adds that there are about 400 acres of farmland nearby.

Sumter County said any residents of The Villages experiencing a problem should call a commercial company to remove them.

Sumter County officials also said that there have not been any other reports of a rodent problem in The Villages.


About the Author:

Troy graduated from California State University Northridge with a Bachelor's Degree in Communication. He has reported on Mexican drug cartel violence on the El Paso/ Juarez border, nuclear testing facilities at the Idaho National Laboratory and severe Winter weather in Michigan.

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