Fayette County, Lexington Rat Control Situation:
I live in a suburban area in a development and have never had a rat issue in 30 years until recently. A few months ago we noticed two things which had not previously occurred trash was been thrown around the back yard from trash cans as well as holes in the ground. (near the house) We have a large cat that goes outside as well as two basically indoor dogs. Finally about a week ago my wife saw a tail of a small animal that she could not identify. I borrowed a cage trap from a friend and the first two nights they were set the bait was taken but we did not catch anything finally on the third night we caught two rats in the one trap. Set two cages last night, bait was taken but no rats caught. I had filled in about 5 holes that were near my house with dirt yesterday and this morning one of the holes was open....I am getting all kinds of amateur advice(soak toilet tissue with gasoline place it in hole and cover it etc...) don't know what the hell to do. I do not believe the rats have gotten into the house (we have a crawl space). Have two daughters and mother in law with me.... Need any guidance you can provide.
Lexington Rat Control Tip of The Week
Do Rats Bite Human Necks?
Rodents are omnivorous animals. Their diet is mainly based on seeds, insects, and small animals. In order to hunt, they usually bite their victims' neck to neutralize them and suffocate them until they finally die. Seeing this behavior, some people think that rats will also bite human necks, but this is extremely uncommon.
There are cases where a rat has bit a child's face, neck, and hands. This type of aggressive behavior is often seen when rodents feel that the child's movement could be a threat. On the other hand, sometimes this happens when children are dirty and have food remains on them, thus confusing the rodents.
Complications Of A Rodent Bite
A rat bite can hardly suffocate a human being, but it can have other serious complications produced by the bacteria they carry. Symptoms appear within 3 weeks after the bite when the infected wound heals.
An infectious disease can begin with increased body temperature and chills. Within 3 to 4 days after the onset of the fever, there could be rash, systemic damage to different organs such as heart or brain, and visible swelling of the lymph nodes.
Bites are not the only way a rodent can transmit diseases. Direct contact through scratches produced by infected rats is usually quite harmful as well. However, it is more common to become infected by ingesting food or water contaminated with an infected rats' feces or urine.
Pest control is necessary to look after one's own health and that of your entire family, including household pets. There are cases of domestic animals such as dogs and cats that, when biting rats, can also become contaminated with these diseases which can be deadly.
