Rats, the creepy, detestable creatures, would never miss out on an opportunity to invade your house. If you thought living in a non crowded or impeccably clean place would remove the rodent invasion program from your life, sorry to inform you but that is not happening! Simply put, rats generally love to seek shelter at places which are warm and comfortable for them, are not moist as well as offer them enticing food which is easily reachable. Unfortunately, this also describes the kind of spaces humans prefer to live in. This means, where there are humans, rats are bound to follow. The only difference is you pay to inhabit a certain space, while rats prefer living off your treats, which is why you would never want them occupying your home.
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What you don’t know however is the fact that other than being uninvited guests at your place, rats often carries diseases, some of which can prove to be especially lethal. This includes:
- Hanta virus pulmonary syndrome (HPS):
This is a respiratory disease caused by the infestation of rodents carrying Hantavirus with themselves and develops 1-8 weeks after a person is exposed to fresh urine, droppings or saliva of these rodents. Regardless to mention, it is extremely fatal, with earlier symptoms involving fever, headaches, dizziness, muscle aches etc. However, if not checked, it can cause your lungs to get filled with fluid subsequently shortening your breathe.
- Murine Typhus:
This is a disease which is transmitted by fleas which have been in turn infected by the rodents at your place. The symptoms begin from 6 to 14 days after exposure to flea faeces, which subsequently results in rashes on the skin and body aches and chills.
- Rotavirus:
Rotavirus is most common in children, and they get them usually through rat droppings. The spread of rotavirus is fast, from the faeces of the children to anything they touch with unwashed hands. The symptoms show up around 2 days after infestation with vomiting and diarrhoea being the most common.
- Leptospirosis:
Probably one of the most fatal diseases, leptospirosis is contracted via the direct contact with urine of the rodents. The first phase of the disease is usually less severe, with diarrhoea, vomiting, muscle aches and fever. This phase passes in a while if proper medication is takes, if however the disease comes back, the consequences can be fatal, causing kidney or liver failure.
The good thing about a rat infestation is that you can easily identify them, unlike fleas which are tiny and difficult to spot. Here are some of the signs that rats leave while at your place:
- Droppings:
Clusters of rat droppings are easier to identify owing to their size. They are dark and tapered at both sides and regardless to say, they are extremely gross!
- Chew marks:
Even though rats live off your belongings, that doesn’t necessarily means they will be eating off the same food that you eat. When hungry, they will chew though wood and furniture to make travelling easier for them. These chew marks are easily identifiable.
- Rub marks:
Not only do they chew your home away, but they also leave behind greasy marks on the floor as they move.
- Nests:
When they need to reproduce, rats need an especially comfortable climate, which is why you might find insulation materials such as cardboard or paper etc collected at certain places.
- Noise:
Rats generally aren’t the quietest of creatures and would often make squeaking or hissing noises, which are especially audible at night.
Now that you know what a big menace rats can prove to be, make sure to check if you have them at your place. In case you do, do not wait for they are not going to leave any sooner. Call a professional exterminator, who is skilled at pest control or do it yourself using pest control sprays. Whatever you do, do it fast!