Rodents are active all year. However, they seek indoor shelter for warmth and protection when the outdoor temperatures drop. This means Orange County homeowners are vulnerable to rodent infestation and the diseases they bring with them.
Rats and mice are known to carry and spread over 35 diseases. Humans can contract these diseases directly by handling rodents, dead or alive; touching feces, urine, or saliva; or getting bitten.
Rodent droppings also cause allergies and spread food-borne illnesses like salmonella. It’s estimated that rodents leave behind as many as 25,000 droppings yearly. Homeowners must understand the risks associated with an infestation and the proper steps for rodent removal.
Diseases Brought Into Your Home by Rodents
Rats and mice in your home threaten your safety in many ways. They cause all sorts of damage because they chew on everything they can. Wires, insulation, and furniture are at risk of being ruined, costing you thousands of dollars to repair or replace. However, your physical property isn’t the only thing at risk.
Rodents carry a high risk of spreading diseases that seriously impact your health. Contracting these illnesses can lead to hospitalization and sometimes death. It’s crucial to act quickly and hire a rodent removal team to protect yourself before your family contracts any of the following diseases.
Hantavirus
Hantavirus is a sickness you can get when you breathe in dust mixed with rat droppings or urine. It can happen through indirect contact while you’re cleaning places where rodents may have been or direct contact as you attempt to remove their droppings.
Symptoms of Hantavirus include headache, fever, and muscle pain. Some people experience nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain in the early stages. When this illness is left untreated, more serious symptoms can develop, such as severe coughing and fluid in the lungs.
It is possible to die from a Hantavirus infection because there is no cure or vaccine. Professional rodent removal and prevention is the best way to protect your family from Hantavirus.
Leptospirosis
You can contract this bacterial disease by swimming, wading, or kayaking in water tainted with rodent urine. It can also be spread by drinking contaminated water. Leptospirosis can cause kidney damage and liver failure when left untreated.
Salmonellosis
Consuming food or water contaminated by rodent feces and urine can cause this sickness. Its symptoms are an upset stomach, diarrhea, and other intestinal problems.
Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis (LCM)
LCM transmission happens when you become exposed to fresh urine, feces, saliva, or nesting materials of an infected rodent. This can be through a bite or through touching these substances. This condition causes various health problems ranging from a fever to brain damage.
Patients who develop neurological diseases can survive LCM but may require hospitalization. Women who contract this disease while pregnant can pass the infection on to their baby.
Plague
The plague is one of the most well-known diseases transmitted by rodents. It is most often transmitted through the bite of an infected flea. The plague is characterized by a fever, headache, chills, and swollen lymph nodes. These symptoms appear within two to six days of exposure.
This illness is serious but treatable using antibiotics when it is caught early. However, it can become life-threatening when left untreated. Preventing contact with rodents can minimize the risks of the plague.
Parasites
In addition to dangerous diseases, rodents carry parasites, leading to secondary pest infestations. Rodents are known to bring lice, fleas, mites, ticks, and worms into Orange County homes.
Ticks are especially concerning because they spread diseases that last a lifetime, such as:
- Rocky Mountain spotted fever
- Southern tick-associated rash illness
- Tularemia
- Lyme disease
Some of these diseases can infect your pets as well, leading to health problems for your furry family members.
Preventing Rodent Problems
Protecting your home from a rodent invasion is the best way to keep your family safe from the risks of an infestation. If you have a current rodent problem, hiring a rodent removal expert is the first step. They’ll locate the pests and remove them from your home.
Many professionals also offer services to clean up the droppings before implementing ways to prevent infestations. Some prevention strategies are simple and won’t cost you a dime, while others may be more of an investment.
Cover Holes in Your Walls and Foundation
Rodents can enter your home through the smallest opening in your walls, foundation, and entryways. Repair these holes or seal them with a mesh wire coating that rodents cannot chew through.
Remove Food Sources
Keep rodents away by eliminating any food sources in your home. This means cleaning up any bits of food that fall from the bird feeder or blow into your yard. Keeping your home tidy will stop these pests from hanging around.
Keeping a sealed lid on a trash can will help keep pests out. Even if food doesn’t spill, the scent will attract them, and they’ll find a way to enter the can.
Eliminate Water Sources and Spills
Any area that collects water will attract thirsty rats and mice. Take note of any area in your yard where water pools and have it filled or covered.
Use Mint
Rodents don’t like mint. Placing it near entries to your home may deter them. Plant mint in your garden so you have constant access. You can also use dried mint leaves or peppermint oil indoors.
Eliminate Outdoor Access
Overhanging trees allow rodents to get onto your roof. Trimming them will eliminate this convenient way into your home.
Have a Professional Seal Up Your Home
Rodents will use any hole to enter a warm shelter. Have a professional close up all the holes along your home’s exterior using high-quality rodent-proofing materials. Make sure they get all the doors, windows, and vents.
Effective Rodent Removal in Orange County
If you have a rodent problem, you need professional rodent removal services. Although it may be tempting to handle the problem on your own, you’re putting your health at risk by doing so.
Let the trained experts from Attic Projects handle the situation. We’ll get rid of all rodents and make sure they don’t come back. Call us today to learn how!
