How Dangerous Are Rodents?
Rodents, specifically rats, are well-known for contaminating food & contributing to the spread of disease.
While they are small and don’t usually attack humans, they can be quite dangerous towards us indirectly. Most people don’t realize just how sneaky these little creatures are!
In today’s post we will share with you just how dangerous rodents (and specifically rats) are.
We recommend watching the video version. Click HERE to watch it.
You can also now download the podcast version!
The Spread of Disease – Great Plague
The spread of disease is the most dangerous part of dealing with rodents. Disease can be spread to you without you even having direct contact with an animal. If you do have direct contact with a rodent, then you should get checked out by a doctor immediately.
The “Black Death,” also known as the “Great Plague,” that swept across Europe wiped out about 1/3 of Europe’s population. Which creature spread the disease? Rodents, specifically rats!
The Europeans falsely believed that it was cats that were spreading the disease, so they focused on hunting and killing cats, when in fact the cats were helping by killing off the rats.
This is one example of how rats have harmed humanity on a large-scale. They also often spread disease in your home without you even realizing it.
Disease inside Your Home
The Latin word “rodere” literally means “to gnaw.” Rodents have front teeth that never stop growing. They are experts at chewing through things.
Rats often infest people’s homes without the home-owners even noticing. They don’t stay in obvious areas, such as the kitchen. They are sneakier; rats prefer to hide in between the walls, in between the floors, and in the attic.
You may not realize it, but there are several hidden areas in your home that you don’t have access to. Wild animals aren’t supposed to have access to these areas either, but they often find small holes or chew their way through holes in the roof to find their way through.
When wild animals such as rodents are living within your home, they leave lots of waste. They don’t go to the toilet like you do! This waste attracts insects, mold, and bacteria, which unfortunately gets spread to you.
If an animal passes away in between your walls, then they can also leave a foul smell. Sometimes they don’t leave a smell, or the smell is associated with “old home smell.”
A decaying animal or animal waste can also decay into the air which reduces your home’s air quality. This can lead you to experience allergy-like symptoms such as red-eye, fatigue, decreased mood, coughing, and sneezing. It’s not that you’re sick; it’s that you have a decaying animal (or animal waste) somewhere between your walls or in the attic!
If that isn’t bad enough, insects and bacteria get into the air which does make you more prone to getting sick. Many people don’t realize this, and after finally getting an inspection & restoration of their home, they realize their “allergies” are gone!
Fires
Would you believe that rats can cause fires also? Because they love to chew & gnaw things so much, they will occasionally gnaw through electrical wires.
It goes without saying how this can be deadly. Unfortunately some fires have been caused by wild animals interfering with electrical circuits.
These animals also spill things if they are out in the common areas of your home (though this is less common because they are afraid of you).
Food
20% of the entire world food supply is contaminated by rodents (not just rats but other rodents also). Imagine just what could be done with this extra food that is completely wasted!
Poor & starving families could have so much more food, but unfortunately they can’t because rodents are taking it from them.
Home Devaluation
It goes without saying that animals leaving their waste inside your home can damage your home and lower the overall value. Unfortunately smells are harder for the owner to detect, so it’s important you stay on top of your home’s health.
Rodents are Everywhere
It is estimated that 37% of American home-owners will have a rodent problem sometime in their life. Unfortunately many of them may not even realize it, and experience allergy-like symptoms or home devaluation due to the damage.
Make sure to inspect your home and stay on top of potential issues to minimize damage. If you would like us to inspect your home, we’d love to!
If you have any questions, give us a call at 855-WILDLIFE.
Thanks for reading!
-Wildlife x Team International