Kanawha County, Charleston Rat Control Situation:
Hello David. I have a problem at my West Virginia home & not quite sure how to resolve it. I hear scratching noises between a wall in my house. I believe it's a rat. How do I get it out?
Thanks for your useful information about rat in the attic. I have tried to find and seal up all entry points as possible, but the rats still can get into the attic once in a while. You mentioned about vent, and I'm thinking about the roof splashing vent from the bathroom. There is big space under the "umbrella" covering the opening of the splash and I wonder if they can climb or jump up and get into the attic. Please advise. Thanks.
Hi David, I enjoy your website. It is very informative. I found your website after noticing a couple pieces of rat feces in the attic and, what looked like a hole burrowing down in the insulation. I got paranoid, and set a trap with peanut butter but have not caught anything in 4 days. I did not think there were any entry areas as our roof was just replaced a few moths ago, BUT after I did an inspection I did find what looked like a half-circle chewed where the wood meets brick. I couldn't believe it! I patched that with steel the next day and became paranoid there were other holes. After a complete roof inspection I found a couple gaps between brick and wood that could be entry points. I completely repaired/closed all entry points... My question is how long should I leave that trap in the attic if I haven't caught anything? I don't think that rat stayed in the attic???? Thanks again and very informative website!
My name is Julio and I am worried becuase I always hear running noises in my bedroom cieling. How do I get rid of these mice . Where should I look for holes ? Can I call an rodent exterminater. Thank for the article.
Charleston Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Are Possible Diseases Rats Can Carry?
Apart from causing severe damage to the structure of houses, rats are major carriers of life-threatening diseases. This simply shows how important it is for you to remove them from your home and make sure they don't find their way back.
Disease transmission from rats to humans can occur through several routes. These include;- Human exposure to wastes of rats such as feces, saliva, nesting materials, and urine while handling or removing them from homes.
- Bites from rats that are infected.
- Unsafe handling of rats (touching of rats without wearing gloves) and eating food that is contaminated with rat feces, urine, or saliva.
Diseases can be transmitted from rats through any of the above means. This clearly shows that if you have rats running around your home, you are at a high risk of getting infected. The following are some of the possible diseases rats can carry.
1. Hantavirus
This particular disease is one of the most life-threatening diseases that rats carry. Currently, Hantavirus is yet to have a known cure, vaccine, or treatment. Some of the symptoms of this particular disease include abdominal pain, vomiting, diarrhea, and nausea.
2. Salmonella
This particular disease is a bacterial infection carried in the digestive tracts of rats. When they pass feces, it usually contains a large proportion of this bacteria. If by mistake you consume any food substances that are contaminated with this bacteria, you might contract Salmonella. Some of the symptoms of this disease include diarrhea, vomiting, fever, chills, nausea, and abdominal cramps.
3. Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
This disease is another life-threatening disease that rats transmit to humans when there is contact. LCMV is capable of causing encephalitis and meningitis if not quickly managed at its early phase.
4. Rat-bite Fever
Unlike other types of diseases, rat-bite fever is only transmitted when a rat bites you. The bacteria of this disease is found in the saliva of rats. The symptoms of this infection include high fever, muscle pain, headaches, and skin rash.
