Are Rat / Mice in your premise dangerous?
The short answer is – yes. The fact is a number of serious illnesses and health risks have been traced back and attributed to mice. According to the Center for Disease Control, mice spread numerous diseases worldwide. The diseases are spread to humans directly: through contact with Rat/Mice feces, saliva or urine, mouse bites and mere contact. Mouse diseases, however, can also be spread indirectly: ticks, fleas and mites that have fed, at some point, on the infected mouse and then transmit that infection to humans.
Rat/Mice make a huge mess. In order to mark a place as their own, they start to urinate and defecate all over the place. It is messy and nasty, to be sure, but mice waste also carries a number of known pathogens that can be very serious and lead to health problems. For example:
- Hantavirus – this is most often found in deer mice. Found in rodent urine and feces, the virus can be transmitted to humans if they come into contact with either of those substances. What’s more, mouse feces and urine can dry and turn into a dust and that can carry the virus as well. Hantavirus starts like so many other illnesses with a fever and chills, combined with aches and pains. However, if not treated, it can quickly turn more serious and lead to shortness of breath and kidney-failure which can lead to death.
- Salmonella – because rodents like mice go looking for food, and will eat just about anything they can get their tiny paw and sharp teeth on. That means they will walk over kitchen counters or all over your pantry and cabinets, tracking dirt and bacteria across other food substances that might also be in there. One of the most dangerous of those is salmonella, which if often just referred to as food poisoning. Fevers and severe stomach cramps, vomiting and diarrhea are symptoms and it can become very serious and dangerous.
- Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCMV) – this is a rodent-borne viral infectious disease that causes serious neurological problems, including aseptic meningitis (inflammation of the meninges that surrounds the brain and spinal cord) and encephalitis (inflammation of the brain). It is primarily carried by the house mouse, but hamsters in contact with wild mice at pet stores can also carry the disease. Individuals become infected with LCMV after exposure to fresh urine, saliva, droppings or nesting materials.
The other thing to remember is that mice and other rodents are not neat and do not shower every day. This means they are often covered in parasites like ticks and fleas. Several diseases have been linked to parasites mice carry, including:
- Lyme disease – which is transmitted via ticks, which mice often carry with them. Ticks can easily become an infestation and they can transmit this very serious, very health-averse disease which can have long-term effects.
- Plague – yes, the Bubonic plague was thought to be caused by mice and rats, but it turned out to be caused by the fleas they carried. Fleas eat blood, just like ticks and mosquitoes, and can transmit this potentially lethal disease.
- Colorado Tick Fever – another very serious and life-threatening disease transmitted by ticks carried by rodents like mice.
Demira Pest Control gives you peace of mind
Demira Pest Control mouse control specialists know all of the places Rat/Mice can hide. They understand the risks and can spot even the smallest signs of mice around the home or property. They also have the training and experience to know what kind of mice you have and where they might be getting in. Working with you, your dedicated pest specialist can develop an effective method of removing the mice and stopping them from returning. Knowing the signs of a mouse infestation and being able to prevent it will not only keep mice out of your home, but also the diseases and health risks that come with them.
It’s best to stay safe and act quickly if you start seeing the warning signs. If you think you’ve spotted the signs of a mouse infestation in your home or property, heard their little feet scampering in the walls, or worry about mice on your property and their potential health risks, Just Contact Demira Pest Control and set up a free property inspection.
Recognizing a Rodent Infestation
There are twelve indicators of rodent activity:
- Droppings – Usually, the first clue of a serious rodent problem is their droppings on the kitchen counter, in kitchen drawers and cabinets, or in the pantry. Look for mouse droppings in utility closets, attics, garages and basements. Mouse droppings are smooth with pointed ends, and are 1/8-inch to ¼-inch long. Rat droppings are pellet-shaped, blunt at both ends, about the size of an olive pit, and shiny black. They soon fade to gray-white. Droppings are randomly scattered, but normally close to rodent runways, feeding areas, or near shelter.
- Tracks – Rodent tracks can be observed in mud, dust or bare dirt. Often, rodent tails also leave a mark. In the house, mouse tracks can be seen on dusty surfaces. You can also check for mouse tracks by dusting suspected areas with a light coating of unscented talcum powder or chalk dust. Wait a day and then shine a flashlight across the area. If there are small tracks in the powder, mice have been there.
- Gnawing – Rats must chew continuously to wear down their incisor teeth. Look for holes in walls or ceilings, and trails in crawl spaces, behind or under cupboards, counters, bathtubs, shower stalls, or near hot water heaters or furnaces.
- Burrows – Burrows can be found along ditches, walls, or fences, and under buildings, rubbish, low vegetation, woodpiles or concrete slabs.
- Runways – Rats follow the same routes as they make their rounds foraging for food each night. In doing so, they leave 2-inch wide runways in the dirt or grass, usually next to buildings or fences.
- Grease marks – Greasy rub marks are caused by a rat’s oily fur repeatedly coming in contact with walls or entrance holes.
- Urine stains – Urine stains are more easily observable under a black light.
- Nests – Mouse nests can be found in utility closets, attics, garages, and basements. They are usually made of cloth or shredded paper, lined with finely shredded material. Rat nests look like a loosely woven ball 4-6 inches in diameter.
- Partially eaten food – Mice leave behind partially eaten food. While rats eat most of the food they find, even they leave telltale signs, like shells or other uneatables.
- Live or dead rodents – People usually see mice only when they have been sitting stock still, such as when reading or watching television. Rats are nocturnal, but in areas having large rat populations some low ranked rats will forage during the day, because they have been denied access to food at night. If you see rats during the day, it is a sign of a substantial infestation.
- Sounds – While you may not be able to see them, you can probably hear rodents moving after dark. If your pet paws at a wall or cabinet it may be trying to get at a lurking rodent.
- Odors – Often you can smell rodent urine or their musky odor, especially in a poorly ventilated room.
