Kings County, New York City Rat Control Situation:
Hi, I found your site very informative and helpful. I live in a ground floor duplex in New York City and we have had a rat problem in between our two floors since last August. The management company has sent an exterminator out several times-- to remove carcasses from the ceiling, place rodenticide in the ceiling, and fill any holes outside the apartment building. The problem is still going on almost a year later and we can't seem to figure out how they are getting in.
There is definitely less scratching and scurrying now compared to a few months ago, but the smell is consistently unbearable as something dies in the ceiling every few weeks to the point that I am ready to just move out. I have asked the management company to take a more proactive approach to the problem rather than reactive when I call and complain, perhaps gut the ceiling to expose the problem area, but they don't seem willing to do it. I can imagine there are a lot of droppings and urine in addition to at least 3-4 dead carcasses. Would the smell disappate if no more rats could get in (i.e. if we found and closed the access points), or is that something that will just continue to fester?
I am trying to make a case to the management that it is necessary for them to clean all the droppings and carcasses to restore the apartment to a sanitary environment. I noticed on your site you mentioned that rats can smell the droppings and urine of other rats, indicating the area is a safe habitat. I also think opening the ceiling might expose the access points. Apparently my unit is the only one of 47 in the building with a reported rat problem. Do you have any suggestions? Best regards, Alexandra
My response: Sounds like a very tough case. The entry holes into the building, or at least, the apartment, must be found and sealed! Check behind the oven, for example. The odor will disappear as soon as all rats are gone and any biomass dries up.
Thanks for the response! I got them to remove the entire ceiling and they said they removed some carcasses and closed a bunch of holes inside. I was on a business trip the past week and will see the result tonight. Fingers crossed the problem is resolved!
New York City Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are Some Symptoms Of Rat Diseases In Humans?
Although rat-transmitted infections can have different causes, they usually have common symptoms. The difference in each infected person will depend on the type of condition, mode of transmission, and the urgency with which treatment has been sought.
From the moment we confirm the presence of rats in our home, it is essential to get rid of these rodents before they start filling the house with unpleasant smells and dangerous secretions full of bacteria and infections that are harmful to our health.
Common Symptoms
Some of these common symptoms can be general malaise, fever, dizziness, nausea, headache, chills, and muscle pain, among others. However, depending on the type of infection or disease, bacteria, or virus, the symptoms can be even more severe and need more drastic treatment.
Among the most common diseases caused by rats, we have:- Tularemia: an infection that can cause excessive sweating, eye irritation, joint stiffness, skin rash, and weight loss.
- Leptospirosis: an illness whose symptoms include nausea, fever, body pain, and irritation. This infection can become complicated, causing Weil's disease, meningitis, and pulmonary hemorrhage.
- Hantavirus: an infection whose most common symptoms vary from fever, chills, dizziness, pain throughout the body, and digestive problems.
- Bubonic Plague: known as the Black Death, it is a high-risk bacterial disease that can cause death. It has symptoms such as coughing up blood, diarrhea, vomiting, and delirium.
- Salmonellosis: an infectious disease whose symptoms include vomiting, cramps, diarrhea, dehydration, and blood in the stool.
- Typhus: a high-risk infectious disease that includes body pain, rash, cough, and vomiting amongst its symptoms.
Each of these infectious diseases can be contracted in different ways, either through direct contact with some contaminated element, through an open cut that has come into contact with rat secretions, or through a rodent bite. The latter could be one of the most worrisome, since this way it is much easier for the infection to enter the body.
