The Dangers of Rodent Infestations and How to Prevent Them
You see telltale signs of a rodent infestation when you walk into your kitchen - droppings in certain areas as well as gnaw marks. It’s important that you call a rodent control service as soon as you can, since these pests can present a health risk for you and your family.
They Carry Diseases
Rodents can spread a lot of diseases throughout a house. You can get infected with things like Hantavirus, Leptospirosis, Salmonellosis, and various hemorrhagic fevers to name a few. Some of these are airborne while others are transmitted through bites and scratches and you can also get sick eating contaminated food that they have infected.
These pests can also indirectly spread disease through infected insects that have fed on the rodents and then bitten you. They include Colorado Tick Fever, Lyme Disease, and Rickets. Yes, this is also how the Bubonic Plague spread.
Prevention
There are several things that you can do to prevent a rodent infestation after you have had a visit from an exterminator. First, inspect all areas, both indoors and outdoors, of your home or apartment and see if there are any particular entry points that they might be using. Don’t forget: kitchen cabinets, corners in floor areas, your windows and doors, behind appliances, the attic, the basement.
When you find certain entry points, seal those up - there are materials that they don’t like to touch, like lathe metal. Put steel wool in small holes.
Then you should look around your kitchen. Keep it very clean and put all food into containers with tight lids on them. If the rodents can’t smell the food, then they won’t find it. Don’t leave food out overnight and clean up any crumbs or spilled food as quickly as you can … otherwise you might as well be rolling out a welcome mat for these rodents.
There are places where these rodents like to nest. Deter them by doing things like having thick plastic garbage cans outside that have a lid on them and also clean up any trash that is around it. Always clean your grills and don’t put bird feeders near your house.
If you are allowed to get cats where you live and you have the time to care for them and spend time with them, you could get one. Rodents tend to avoid places that have cats in them, despite what cartoons like “Tom and Jerry” might make you think otherwise.
By doing the above, you can help ensure that you can keep a rodent infestation from happening at your place. That way, you can enjoy living there and not having to worry about any danger that they might pose. A rodent-free life is a very good one, you will find.
It’s important to have a rodent-free home, especially if you have young children. You can always contact Wildlife X Team at 855-WILDLIFE or visit www.wildlifexteam.com to see what we can do for you.