If you’ve been seeing chewed up personal items and small black droppings around the house, chances are you have a rat problem. While it’s important to handle any residential rodent infestation so you can avoid risk for further damage, you should also take a quick and careful approach to prevent potential health hazards. The process of rat removal is a three-step process that should always include removal, sanitation, and prevention.
Dangers of a Rat Infestation
Destruction of your home and personal property is an inconvenient part of having a rat infestation. But the real danger lies in the diseases that rats spread to humans and their household pets. Simply having these rodents in your home puts you and your family at risk of falling ill through direct contact or indirect food and water contamination. Therefore, it’s important to clear out any rodent infestation as quickly as possible.
Health Risks From Rats
Having proper rat removal equipment is necessary to protect yourself from infections and diseases, such as:
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Hantavirus
A potentially life-threatening infectious disease that causes flu-like symptoms
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Rat-bite fever
An often-fatal illness caused by bacteria transmitted through a scratch or bite from a rodent, as well as contact with urine or contaminated water.
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Plague
A rare bacterial infection in the blood stream leading to symptoms such as fever, chills, and muscle weakness
Safety and Sanitation Standards
Be sure to protect yourself from possible contaminants while working to remove the infestation from your home — and have these items handy during and after rat removal.
- Gloves
- Scrub brushes
- Disinfectant cleaners
- Vacuum cleaner
- Medical face mask
Prevention Tactics to Try
Preventing the rodents from coming back is crucial to the rat removal process. Oftentimes, there is more than one access point that the rats are coming in through. That’s why you will want to do a full and thorough inspection of the inner and outer perimeter of your home to put a stop to your infestation.
Professional Rat Removal
If all of this sounds like too much work, turn to your local, licensed professionals. The experienced wildlife removal technicians at Critter Control® of Orlando will quickly and safely remove nuisance pests from your property and keep them from returning.
