Montgomery County, Montgomery Rat Control Situation:
David, I hope you can help. My wife and two kids bought our dream house a couple hundred yards from the cliff of the Pacifica ocean here in Moss Beach, CA. I started hearing some scratching in the walls, and began a four month battle with rats that I am losing. I went under the house and there were empty poison containers (from previous owners), thousands of rat poos, and about 20 rat carcasses. I cleaned it all up, and over many, many hours sealed what I believe to be every single tiny nook around the house (I caught a couple rats in the act of going into some holes). We've gone several weeks at a time without any rats, then occassionally we'll hear one. I catch one or two now and then under the house with snap traps, glue traps, but they are small rats, and there are hardly any new poos. Our roof is not accessible to any trees, or anything touching the ground except the water drains. We do have a ton of gopher holes and tunnels all around the house, even right next to the foundation (but none that seem to open up under the house) But currently none of us are sleeping because of one (what sounds like) big rat. It runs around and scratches all night between about 10 pm and 6 am. It is above and around our bedroom (below the kitchen) walls. Sometimes I feel like taking my chances with a pick axe, and blowing open the wall like a madman trying to get that rat. What would be your recommendation? Thank you so much, Marc
Montgomery 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.