Arlington County, Arlington Rat Control Situation:
Hello. I don't know if this is something you still do, but I need some expert advise so thought I'd give it a try! We are renting a house in Alexandria VA west of DC. I think it was built in the 60's, a ranch style home, and has been renovated but has much of the original doors, framework, etc. The guest bathroom in particular is not sealed off properly. It was an add-on and not done correctly, so the slab is cracked and eroding, as well as rotten wood with holes in it sealed with foam of all things! We have a beautiful courtyard and put out a couple bird feeders, but recently took them down when we noticed the sounds of critters in the attic. We've looked up there and so far the insulation looks almost new and other than a few cobwebs it's pretty clean up there. But there are a few droppings! I want to catch this early and eradicate the problem as quickly and humanely as possible for our safety and for the safety of our landlords house. It looks like you suggest sealing first, then traps, then clean-up. What do you think about the birdseed? Is it to blame? Or the wide open house? Can the rats be coming in from below the slab? My husband, ( this is his email btw) has heard them under the tub in the guest bathroom:// Any other tips? And are you by chance nearby in Arlington VA? Probably not, but just thought I'd check! Any and all suggestions are appreciated. Thank you for your time!
My response: The slab could be to blame. Perhaps there are multiple entries. I wouldn't know without seeing it, but I live in Orlando. Bird seed does attract rats, but really, the problem is that there are openings leading inside the house.
We have a roof rat problem. We've heard the little critter crawling around in our daughters upstairs bedroom (refinished attic /bedroom) for awhile now. My wife also saw the little guy in action on our neighbors bird feeder at about 3:30am this morning and then watched him head back up to our roof. That pretty much sealed the deal that we weren't dealing with squirrels... I can see a few potential issues. We don't have a way into the attic because of the way it was refinished. When previous owner did renovations, they didn't leave access point to portion of attic that is unfinished. There is also some flashing on roof that is pulled up and near where we hear the most noises. I was going to secure it, but don't want to trap anything in... Contact info is below. Give me a call on my cell, anytime, and I can go into more detail for you. Hopefully you can give me a rough estimate on the phone and then we can proceed from there. Definitely want to get this issue resolved. :)
Arlington Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Diseases Are Caused By Rat Urine?
Rats are undoubtedly one of the animals that transmit the greatest number of diseases worldwide. These rodents are a very unpleasant species for humans, not only because they spend a lot of time in the garbage, but also because of the risk they pose to humans.
How Can You Get Infected Through A Rat's Urine?
Unfortunately, there are many ways a person can get a disease, virus, or infection from a rodent. From the moment a rat enters your property, you are exposed to a number of dangers that can seriously affect your health.
It is possible to become infected through direct contact with an object or food contaminated with rat urine. Rats often leave a trail of urine so that other rats can follow it to the best food source. This is why there could be rat urine on your food or even in the water.
Another way to get infected is to inhale dust contaminated with rat urine. The most frequent way to get infected by rat urine is through a fresh wound; the infection will have better access to your body.
Hantavirus
It is considered to be a viral disease that seriously affects the body; it can cause hemorrhagic fever and affect the lungs. The disease is found in rodents of all types and is mainly transmitted through their urine. Some symptoms of the disease are:- Fever
- Muscular aches and chills
- Dizziness
- Gastrointestinal problems
Leptospirosis
This infection may be better known as Weil's disease. It is considered to be a risky illness because if it is not treated in time it could be fatal. It is transmitted to humans through the urine of a carrier animal, including rats. This infection has all the symptoms of a normal infection, such as fever, dizziness, and body pain, except this infection can affect multiple important organs.
