Rats are the pinnacle of rodent control and a home’s worst enemy during the winter months, but are rats dangerous?
During the colder months, rats and other small rodents try to find warmth and shelter from the cold. They can creep their way into your home through even the smallest cracks and crevices.
4 WAYS RATS CAN BE DANGEROUS:
They can cause electrical and plumbing issues as well as damage your insulation.
According to PestWorld, rodents cause up to 25 percent of house fires in the U.S. alone, and rodents invade an estimated 21 million homes in the U.S. every winter.
Rats are carriers of hantavirus, bubonic plague, rat-bite fever, and salmonellosis.
- Hantavirus: People can get exposed by inhaling infected rodent urine, droppings, or saliva.
- According to PestWorld, the chances of contracting it can increase if you’re near spaces where rodents live.
- Symptoms include headaches, dizziness, chills, and abdominal pain.
- Bubonic Plague, aka the “Black Death,” is spread by an infected rodent flea bite.
- Symptoms include fever, headache, and swollen lymph nodes.
- Rat-Bite Fever (RBF): A disease spread by infected rodents or eating food that rodents have contaminated.
- Symptoms include fever, vomiting, headaches, rash, and muscle pain.
- Salmonellosis: Food poisoning spread by rodent feces
- Symptoms include diarrhea, fever, and abdominal pain.
Rats can bring in fleas that will hurt your furry friends!
Lastly, rats spread bacteria, contaminate food, and trigger allergic reactions in humans.
GOT RATS? WE CAN HELP!
Here at Clark’s, we have a skilled team of Wildlife Specialists that can inspect the property and provide the specific service needed for your particular home. Check out our wildlife page to learn more about how we safely remove rats from your home.
Call us at our toll-free number 866-781-4991, or email our team at clarkscsr@clarkspest.com to schedule an evaluation or to speak to our Wildlife department.
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