Hillsborough County, Tampa Rat Control Situation:
To Whom It May Concern: How can I find out what could have gotten into my screened in porch, up on a table and into a closed bird cage and killed my canary? The flooring has boards that are at the most 1/2 inch opening. The rest is fully screened with no holes anywhere. My canary was covered in its cage and when I took its cover off the next morning, he was lying dead on the bottom, so I picked him up and looked at him. There were feathers everywhere and he had been partially eaten from the bottom. I wrapped him in a napkin and laid him outside the cage, planning to bury him later. I was so shook up. The next morning I went to get him and put him in a box to bury and he was gone but the napkin was still there intact. I found the remains of his feathers beside an upright freezer I have on the porch. If you have any idea what kind of creature could access a 1/2 inch space to invade my porch and kill my canary, or know anyone else I could contact to find out, please reply. I am really stressed out over this whole ordeal. My canary has had free run of my porch for at least 6 months. He was a beautiful singer and always went to his cage at nightfall to be covered until morning. I need to know what I am dealing with. I would appreciate your reply ASAP. Bonnie
Hmm, my best guess is a Norway Rat, although this is still an unusual case.Hi David, Thank you for your response to my dilemma. I live in the Tampa Bay Florida area. Can this rat climb through a 1/2 slot? Also, I realized that my screen door is flexible as it is made of a plastic material. My sister told me to push on the bottom of the screen door and see if that is where they might have gotten in and sure enough, it pushes in a few inches. Someone else told me it may have been a mink, as I live a few yards from a river. Does that sound feasible to you, David?
A mink or weasel! I hadn't considered that, but that's a better guess than a rat.
Thanks David! How big do these rats get? I have bird seed on my porch and I noticed something has been shelling the sunflower seeds inside the bag and also I found several shells in the corner of the porch.
I don't think I have any real help to offer you. Try sealing off the opening, I guess.
Tampa Rat Control Tip of The Week
Is It Common For Rats To Bite Humans While They're Sleeping?
There have been many cases reported in which human beings have been bitten by rodents. People tend to be alarmed when seeing a rat, not just for being repulsive but for the notoriety they have. However, some rumors are just myths that are a bit exaggerated.
Any animal tends to behave aggressively if they feel threatened or in a dangerous situation. In the case of rodents, the behavior is the same. Most of the times they want to go unnoticed, but if they feel cornered they can bite in defense to escape.
Can Rats Bite People While They're Asleep?
It is a rare thing that a rat climbs to someone's bed and bites them. Generally, the occasions in which a rodent climbs a piece of furniture has to do with dirtiness. A messy bed with crumbs of food will attract a rodent.
In these situations, the animal does not normally attack the person. However, some rats sometimes bite kids when they sleep. These exceptions happen because these kids are in low hygiene conditions with crumbs of food on their hands and the smell of this food is an open invitation for rats and their instinct for feeding.
Rats And Infections
People that have been bitten by a rat usually say it is a very strong pain. It is known that their teeth can deeply penetrate the skin, whereby it is necessary to act and clean the wound quickly to prevent the spread of diseases that can be caused when their saliva enters in contact with the bloodstream.
Rodents are vectors in the transmission of many diseases due to the bacteria and viruses they carry. A messy and dirty house is sought after by rodents, due to the abundance of areas suitable for nests. For this reason, if you wish to prevent a rodent infestation, you should keep your house clean.
