Mice/Rats

Mice & Rodent Removal Services

Humane Rat & Mice Removal Services

The proper way to solve a rat problem is by stopping the root of the problem.  If you want to get rid of rats in your house or attic, you must first find out how they are getting in, and seal off those entry points permanently.  Once that is done, the rats should be physically trapped and removed from the building.  It’s also a good idea to clean and decontaminate the mess that they’ve made.

How to Identify House Mice

It is very common to be able to identify a house mice problem, and house mice damage. The house mouse (Mus musculus) is a small, slender rodent that has a slightly pointed nose; small, black, somewhat protruding eyes; large, sparsely haired ears; and a nearly hairless tail with obvious scale rings. House mice are considered among the most troublesome and economically important rodents in the United States, and cause many house mice problems.

The house mouse weighs less than an ounce. It can fit in a crack of only a quarter inch. They can and do get everywhere. If your house has food and has any small openings, eventually mice will find their way in. House mice eat many types of food but prefer seeds and grain. They do not hesitate to sample new foods, sampling many kinds of items in their environment. Foods high in fat, protein, or sugar may be preferred even when grain and seed also are present. A single mouse can’t eat a whole lot, but because of their habit of nibbling on many foods, discarding partially eaten items, and defecating everywhere, mice destroy considerably more food than they consume. Mice are primarily nocturnal, they can dig, they chew like all rodents do, and they can produce a tremendous number of offspring.

They chew on wires and anything else they can get their teeth on. They eat your food and contaminate it. They leave droppings in the attic and everywhere. They spread filth and pestilence. They once killed a third of Europe’s people …that’s the equivalent of at least a dozen Americans. Some examples of rat/mice diseases that can be spread by rodents are Salmonellosis (acute food poisoning), Rickettsia Pox, Hantavirus (via droppings), tapeworm, infectious jaundice, and tularemia. I highly recommend attic decontamination services if you’ve had rats/mice living in your attic.

Rat Related Health Hazards & Diseases

Here is information on common diseases caused by rats, as gathered from the Center For Disease Control & Prevention http://www.cdc.gov

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome (HPS): Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) is a deadly disease transmitted by infected rodents through urine, droppings, or saliva. Humans can contract the disease when they breathe in aerosolized virus. HPS was first recognized in 1993 and has since been identified throughout the United States. Although rare, HPS is potentially deadly. Rodent removal in and around the home remains the primary strategy for preventing hantavirus infection.

Murine Typhus: Murine typhus (caused by infection with R. typhi) occurs worldwide and is transmitted to humans by rat fleas. Flea-infested rats can be found throughout the year in humid tropical environments, but in temperate regions are most common during the warm summer months. Travelers who visit in rat-infested buildings and homes, especially in harbor or riverine environments, can be at risk for exposure to the agent of murine typhus.

Rat-bite fever (RBF): Rat-bite fever (RBF) is a systemic bacterial illness caused by Streptobacillus moniliformis that can be acquired through the bite or scratch of a rodent or the ingestion of food or water contaminated with rat feces.

Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: As its name suggests, it causes a typhoid-like disease in mice. In humans S. Typhimurium does not cause as severe disease as S. Typhi, and is not normally fatal. The disease is characterized by diarrhea, abdominal cramps, vomiting and nausea, and generally lasts up to 7 days. Unfortunately, in immunocompromized people, that is the elderly, young, or people with depressed immune systems, Salmonella infections are often fatal if they are not treated with antibiotics.

Leptospirosis: Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease that affects humans and animals. It is caused by bacteria of the genus Leptospira. In humans it causes a wide range of symptoms, and some infected persons may have no symptoms at all. Symptoms of leptospirosis include high fever, severe headache, chills, muscle aches, and vomiting, and may include jaundice (yellow skin and eyes), red eyes, abdominal pain, diarrhea, or a rash. If the disease is not treated, the patient could develop kidney damage, meningitis (inflammation of the membrane around the brain and spinal cord), liver failure, and respiratory distress. In rare cases death occurs.

Eosinophilic Meningitis: Eosinophilic meningitis is an infection of the brain occurring in association with an increase in the number of eosinophils, white blood cells that are associated with infection with worms that penetrate into the body. The organism most commonly causing eosinophilic meningitis is a rat lung worm called angiostrongylus cantonensis.

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