Identifying the Health Risks that Come with a Rodent Infestation

No one wants to face a rodent infestation in their home, but if you suspect these pests have infiltrated your property, you might wonder, “Do I even need to do anything?” If the mice or rats aren’t bothering you, why rush to pay for rodent removal?

In reality, rodents pose a significant threat, not just to your home, but to your health as well. Even if you do not see them daily, rats and mice can threaten your well-being and cause permanent damage to your house.

Here is what homeowners need to know about the health risks that come with a rodent infestation, as well as how to identify signs of infestation, take preventive measures to protect homes and businesses, and employ effective methods for safe and humane rodent removal.

How to Know You Have an Infestation

Before committing to rodent removal, you should first confirm you are facing an infestation instead of just a wayward visitor. Some of the most common signs that rats or mice have infiltrated your home or business include:

• Seeing them – For obvious reasons, if you see multiple rodents, it’s probably a safe bet to assume you have them on your property. Seeing not just one animal but repeatedly noticing them is also a sign there are more than you realize.
• Droppings – Mice and rats defecate frequently, creating from 50 to 150 droppings every day. If you notice oval-shaped droppings, often with a tapered end, you may be facing an infestation. Look near spaces where the animals consider themselves safe: along baseboards and in enclosed spaces.
• Stolen food – Both mice and rats are scavengers, and they will take full advantage of any edible items in pantries or offices. If you notice food that has been nibbled on, opened packaging, or spilled items, pests could be visiting at night.

These are the main indicators of an infestation, but rodents also leave unpleasant (often ammonia-like) smells, tracks, and sounds, such as squeaking and chewing, that can tip you off.

Why Infestations Impact Human Health

Having rodents in a home or business isn’t just annoying — it’s dangerous. Rodents carry diseases and can leave humans feeling ill without even making physical contact.

Disease Transmission

Rodents live in cramped spaces in colonies and thrive on scrounging what they can find, which makes them frequent carriers of easily transmissible diseases. Some of these include:

• Hantavirus – A pulmonary illness that quickly develops into a severe or potentially life-threatening condition.
• Leptospirosis – A flu-like sickness that requires antibiotics.
• Rabies – Without treatment, rabies is always fatal in humans and pets.
• Lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV) – An infection that can impact anyone but is especially dangerous for pregnant women because it can cause congenital diseases.

Allergies

Even without ever coming into contact with a rat or mouse, it is still possible for them to make a building’s residents feel sick. The dander from their fur can trigger allergic reactions, leading to red, puffy eyes, a runny or stuffy nose, coughing, sneezing, wheezing, and more. Once the dander is present, it is difficult to remove since it is hidden in the walls and other hard-to-reach areas.

Home Hazards

Rodents are natural chewers because their front teeth never stop growing, and they must constantly wear them down. For home and business owners, this behavior can pose a risk to safety. If rodents chew on support beams or interior walls, they can compromise the structural integrity of a building and lead to localized collapses that can harm anyone in their path.

How to Safely Remove Rodents

When it’s just one rat or mouse in a space, using a mousetrap or humane cage is a simple enough solution. However, for infestations, such measures will not prove effective; the rodents will reproduce faster than they can be captured.

In this case, trusting a professional rodent control company is prudent if your property is infested. Experts understand not just how to eliminate rats and mice (such as through trapping) but also how to stop them from returning.

By identifying their entry points, safe havens, and nests, pest control professionals will turn your home from an inviting sanctuary to an off-putting danger zone for rodents, discouraging their reappearance.

Trust Rodent Removal to Pest Control Pros

Do not ignore a rodent infestation; it does not take long for a small problem to escalate into a big issue. The experts at Spartan Animal & Pest Control can help you eliminate rodents from your home, and we even repair and replace insulation damaged by mice and rats, clean up their nests, and disinfect their toxins and odors as part of our regular pest control services.

Contact Spartan Animal & Pest Control to eliminate your rodent infestation and stop them from coming back in the future.