Different Types of Diseases Transmitted by Rodents

Rodent infestations create several problems for property owners. They damage different parts of your house when they make a den and they bring all sorts of bacteria and germs with them.

With rats and mice infesting your property, you put yourself, your guests or other people living in your house of getting all sorts of diseases. Click Here!

Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome

Hantavirus is a potentially life-threatening disease that rats may transmit. The symptoms of this illness include fatigue, muscle aches, fever, headaches, vomiting, nausea and abdominal pain. An infected person may start displaying the signs between one to five weeks after exposure to the virus. Misdiagnosis may occur because of the similar symptoms with other diseases.

Leptospirosis

Rodents may transmit this bacterial disease after a person comes in contact with infected water. You might contract this ailment when you swim, wade, kayak or drink contaminated water. Individuals who work outdoors or with animals have a higher risk of getting an infection. This diseases has the following symptoms:

1. Severe myalgia
2. Abdominal pain
3. Chills and intense headaches
4. Skin rash
5. Red eye

Symptoms begin to appear within 7 to 12 days.

Rat Bite Fever

Two types of bacteria may cause rat bite fever these are spirillosis and streptobacillosis. Some of the symptoms of this disease are inflammation around an open sore, a rash that appears purple or reddish, chills, fever, vomiting and muscle aches.

These are some of the diseases that rodents may transmit, if you allow them to infest your home. Once you see any sign of a rat infestation, it is best to call an expert animal remover.

How do rats transmit disease?

You might get rat-borne diseases, if they bite you, or handle one that died and inhale spores from their droppings and urine. You might also get an infection by coming in contact with or drinking contaminated food or water. The most at risk of getting a disease are children, seniors and people with pre-existing medical conditions.

How to Get Rid of Rodents

Trying to get rid of rodents on your own is a difficult task. You might be ill equipped to handle dead rats or clean droppings and urine. You put yourself at risk of getting an infection, if you do not have the proper gear and knowledge about rodent removal. Even if you remove the rats, they might re-infest.

Animal removers have the experience and skill to get rid of rodents humanely and properly. They have the equipment to handle droppings, urine and dead animals. They will also do a thorough inspection of the possible places that other pests may invade your home. They will close these and deodorize the area to prevent the spread of bacteria, viruses, germs and disease.

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Animals You Shouldn’t Keep as Pets

You have plenty of options as to what kind of animal to have  as a pet. Dogs, cats and other domesticated animals are popular options. However, certain people prefer exotic animals, these may seem like a novel choice, but particular animals are not suitable to have as domestic pets.. They may cause damage to your property or transmit viruses, bacteria, germs and diseases.

Bats

Bats are not ideal pets because they have sharp teeth, may transmit rabies and bring other diseases that may infect you, your pets or anyone in your home. These animals also leave a trail of guano and urine that are not only foul smelling, but may also spread disease. They may also damage walls, wirings, and the exterior and interior of your home when they build a den to raise their young.

Skunks

Skunks may seem like cute animals to keep as pets, but these creatures release a foul odour when they feel threatened. It may take days to remove the awful smell when it sticks to your skin and clothes. These animals may also bring disease, bugs and bacteria into your property.

Raccoons

These creatures have a mask-like facial feature, powerful paws and beady eyes. These animals may seem harmless at first when they rummage through your garbage, but they do not make good pets. Raccoons become aggressive when they feel that their young are in danger. They may bite and scratch you, resulting in injuries or transmission of rabies.

Their powerful paws can also damage property by tearing through walls, roofing, insulation and wires. All these will increase your energy and repair bill. Raccoons also bring all sorts of bugs and germs that may cause diseases.

Foxes

Foxes may seem like good pets because of their physical similarities to dogs. However, these animals are dangerous, especially if you have small children at home. It is possible to tame these creatures up to a certain extent; however, they are not trustworthy.

Wolves

Keeping a wolf as a pet may seem like a good idea, but these animals have wild instincts that are impossible to tame and domesticate fully. These creatures hunt when they are hungry, play when they want to and sleep whenever they feel like it. They will not make good pets because they act on instinct purely.

These are some of the animals that you must not keep as pets because of their wild nature. You may tame them up to a certain extent; however, their instincts will prevail in the end. When you find any of these animals in or around your property, hire an expert animal removal specialist to prevent an infestation and intrusion.

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Rats And Squirrels: Commonalities And Common Misconceptions

Rats and squirrels are among the many animals people have misconceptions about. Rats, most especially, as they have been considered pests since ancient times because of their crop destroying history.

One of the many misconceptions about rats is that they are always dirty. But did you know that a rat actually spends more hours in a day grooming itself than a cat? There are only a part of the rat species which live in sewers, and even then, they only do so to survive. It is also known that rats are clever and smart animals.

Also, in the club of misunderstood animals, come the squirrels. Squirrels are associated with neverending chewing and eating. People think squirrel stomachs are a bottomless pit, and that they will steal and gather everything to satisfy that hunger. This is pure myth, of course.

Squirrels don't chew just for the pleasure of it. Their incisors constantly grow and that is why they need to chew and rub their teeth against something to trim and sharpen those growing teeth.

It is also common thinking that squirrels destroy trees. Quite the contrary, Eastern grey squirrels are actually great contributors to re-seeding trees, since they bury their seeds in the ground. Sometimes, the nuts are forgotten and grow into trees. These little guys can bury up to 10,000 nuts in the fall and protect them during winter. The forgotten nuts start to grow into trees by springtime.

These two animals belong to the same mammalian order called Rodentia. Rats and squirrels have their incisors which grow throughout their lives.

While somewhat similar, there are many distinguishable characteristics that separate the two. First off is the tail: squirrels have fluffy tails while rats have scaled thin ones. Rats also reproduce much faster than squirrels, and are more agile. Squirrels also spend more time in trees, just like beavers like to stay in the water. Squirrels are also more discreet when it comes to their droppings. It is unusual to see squirrel droppings everywhere; they are usually clustered in one place unlike rat's.

Knowing the difference in their behaviour is critical especially when you encounter any infestation. There will be different removal techniques that would be apt for each nuisance wildlife species that invades your home.

Should you encounter problems with any rats and squirrels infestation, it is best to give wildlife control professionals a call, especially one that promotes humane removal such as Skedaddle Humane Wildlife Control. This way you won't have to sweat about it and risk your health trying to get rid of these little animals. Skedaddle Wildlife Technicians utilize efficient and effective removal techniques that are uniquely crafted based on the characteristics and behaviour of your unwanted guest.

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Skunks: 10 interesting facts about these striped animals

Skunks are very well known for their pungent spray, but there's more to these striped animals people don't know about. Skunks may vary in colour, and may be spotted or striped. They belong to the family of Mephitidae, and the most common, the striped skunk, found in Canada is called Mephitis mephitis.

Skunks are just as interesting as others in animal kingdom. There are many things about them that makes even these pungent little critters special. Let us take a look at some of them.

1. Skunk's chemical spray is not their normal gas release. The spray is actually produced by two anal glands, is highly repellant, and comes in a limited amount. Skunks cannot spray all the time; they need time to replenish the substance produced by the glands.
2. Skunks warn their predators by squealing or hissing, pounding their claws to the ground and uncurling their bushy tails. They even perform warning dances. This is to intimidate predators and shoo them away, conserving their spray and minimizing the risks of being preyed upon while the glands are out of substance. They can shoot a target within ten feet.
3. Skunk spray contains thiols which are sulfur-based compounds. This makes the spray highly flammable. The spray can cause nausea and temporary blindness, depending on the intensity and to the level of exposure to the spray. It may also take several weeks or months for the odour to go away completely.
4. They are excellent diggers but poor climbers. Their short legs are ideally for digging. They burrow dens and may take refuge under houses' foundations, sheds, decks and porches. They are unable to climb onto a roof and get into an attic.
5. Skunks are nocturnal animals. Since they forage at night, they are more vulnerable to terrestrial attacks compared to daytime hunters. This is also the reason why skunks have evolved to produce an effective anti-predator spray.
6. Skunks are docile animals and are less likely to pick fights themselves. They are even willing to share their dens with other skunks, unless there is a mother skunk caring for her kits.
7. Male skunks usually mate with multiple females. Their mating season starts by the month of February.
8. Skunks have a very developed sense of hearing and smell, although they have poor eyesight.
9. A skunk litter may be composed of 2-10 kits. The mother protects the young and will aggressively defend when threat is sensed. The babies will continue to live with their mothers until the fall season.
10. Skunks can carry rabies. Since they are nocturnal, skunks seen in daytime are suspected to be carriers of rabies, especially if they act uncharacteristically. However, mother skunks also forage by day to find food for their young, so not all skunks that you see roaming around by daytime are guaranteed carriers of rabies.

Skunks are not all bad. They do what they can to survive, and people need to see that they have their own roles in the balance of our environment. They belong to the wild, and if some of them get astray and somehow wound up being in your property, find a wildlife control company that offers humane ways like Skedaddle. You will not only save your family's life, but the lives of these creatures as well.

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Why Wildlife Infestation Increases Every Day

Are you wondering why you see raccoons and squirrels lingering near your home? If so these animals might be attracted to your property because of accessible food, and it is suitable to turn into a den to raise their young. Several factors affect the possibility of wildlife infestation, knowing what these are will help you determine its cause and prepare for animal intrusion.

Loss of Natural Habitat

Rapid urbanization is leading to the loss of natural habitat of all sorts of wildlife. Animals such as raccoons, squirrels, bats, skunks and others will look for other suitable places to live and raise their young. If your property happens to be near, there is a high possibility that these creatures will infest it.

Looking for a Suitable Den

Loss of habitat caused by urbanization will push animals to look for a suitable and warm den to raise their young in, especially when the cold months begin. Once they infest your home, they will look for warm spaces such as between walls, the area just above the bedroom, the attic, basement, sheds or other empty spaces. They will bring all sorts of insects, bacteria and germs that may transmit diseases.

Mothers who feel that you are threatening their young will become aggressive and may hurt you with their biting and scratching. Wildlife will not only bring diseases, but will also damage property. They will tear or chew through rotten wood, walls, insulation, electrical wires and others.

Accessibility of Food

The possibility of wildlife infestation increases because of access to food around or in your property. Throwing food in unlocked garbage bins will attract raccoons, squirrels and other animals into your property. They will rummage through garbage cans and may enter your home, if they get a smell of something to eat inside. To prevent this from happening, dispose of food until the collector arrives or lock bins to deter animals from opening them.

How Can Animals Infest Your Home?

Animals will find ways to invade your home, whether it is slithering through tiny holes or tearing through an opening to fit in. Raccoons have strong paws that allow them to open doors and windows, and claw their way through rotten wood. Rodents can enter a home through small golf ball-sized holes. Your best defense is to cover holes, replace rotten wood and repair damaged areas that wildlife can enter.

Remove Animals

With the help of animal removers, getting rid of wildlife is faster, humane and easier. Animal removers have the expertise and experience to handle all sorts of wildlife, from raccoons to bats to rodents. They have the appropriate gear and tools to remove animals without harming them.

Some will also clean and deodorize dens to prevent attracting other animals. They do not only remove but they make sure that wildlife will not re-enter once they do the job.

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Why Do Bats Inhabit Homes?

Bats belong to the order of Chiroptera and are the only mammals who have the ability of true flight. Bats are nocturnal animals and almost a quarter of the whole mammal species belong to bats. Disregarding the fact that bats are one the most misunderstood animals since they have been linked with the dark since ancient times, bats are actually docile animals. They forage for food at night, and no, they don't hunt for blood (except maybe the two or three vampire bat species). Most bats feed on fruit, insects and nectar.

Bats belong in the wild and often to live in homes, caves and abandoned mines in large numbers.  They live for a fairly long amount of time, which is about 40 years depending on the species. The majority of bats do not rely on eyesight while hunting for food. They rely on echolocation, which makes use of the sound waves they create while flying bouncing from one object to another to navigate easily through the dark. Indeed, bats are amazing animals, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be bothered if you have bats infesting your house.

What belongs in the wild should be kept in the wild, or problems will occur. While bats are naturally not aggressive animals, it is still disturbing to have them hanging in your attics or basements. Bats live with their families or colonies,  so they don't arrive in homes as individuals. They take their whole kin with them. It isn't a very good sight to see a swarm of black animals hanging around your house.

So now you may ask, if they belong in the wild, why do they seek refuge in people's homes instead of trees and caves in the nearby woods?

Bats prefer warm areas and human houses that provide shelter and warmth. They also love closed spaces which are rarely used, such as attics and wall cavities, because they serve as an ideal protected environment where they can raise their young. Bats are quiet animals and are active at night so colonies are able to grow quickly without homeowners being aware.

Nevertheless, they should not be encouraged to stay in your house. They can cause problems and expose you to health risks  such as rabies and histoplasmosis. While we mentioned that they are not naturally aggressive, be wary because wild animals are called wild animals for a reason: they can act unpredictably when faced with threatening situations. It would be your wisest choice to leave that DIY animal control idea off your mind and call for animal control experts like Skedaddle's trained professionals who can provide bat exclusion services.

Bat exclusion is the best answer to your bat infestation problems since it is a long term solution. In Canada, bats are protected by the government because of the significant role they play in maintaining the balance of the ecosystem. Identifying their entry points and removing them without locking any adults or babies inside takes practice and expertise.

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Illnesses Caused by Rodent Droppings

Pests such as rodents are small enough to enter your home through any small holes, cracks or rotten wood. Once they get in your property, they start building nests and raising their young. When they multiply, the likelihood of transmitting a disease increases.

Rats and mice transmit harmful insects, bacteria and diseases through their bite, fresh urine, droppings and nesting materials. Failure to get animal control services to remove these pests may harm your health or the guests you have at home.

The deer mouse is a rodent that you do not want to infest your home. These small animals may seem cute but may be carriers of disease such as the hantavirus pulmonary syndrome. Signs of an infestation include the appearance of their nests and its materials, and gnawed objects..

The Diseases that Rodents Transmit

Hantavirus is a potentially life-threatening illness transmitted to a human host by rodents. People get the infection through inhalation or exposure to droppings, saliva or urine. The chances of getting the disease increase when you live near where mice and rats live. The early symptoms of this include fatigue, fever and muscle aches in areas such as the thighs, shoulders, back and hips. A patient may also experience dizziness, headaches, abdominal problems, vomiting, nausea, chills and others. Without proper wildlife control and proper cleaning and decontamination, rodents are likely to infest your property.

Histoplasmosis is a disease caused by breathing in spores of fungus found in droppings. These spores become airborne during clean ups or demolitions, increasing the likelihood of infection. Most people with this ailment will not feel or display any of the symptoms. However, elders, children and people with a respiratory illness are more susceptible to infection. The symptoms may appear between three to 17 days after exposure, these include; fever, chills, headache, muscle aches and dry cough.

Salmonellosis is a type of food poisoning that rodents transmit through their droppings through eating contaminated food. The symptoms of this disease include fever, abdominal pain and diarrhea. These develop within 12 to 72 hours after you get an infection, and the ailment may last from four to seven days; you can recover without treatment. However, dehydration and diarrhea may be so severe, you might have to go to the hospital.

Rat-bite fever is an acute, febrile human disease caused by bacteria transmitted by mice and rats. These animals transmit this illness to humans through their mucous secretions or urine. You may get this ailment through a rat’s bite or eating and drinking food or water contaminated with urine and droppings.

These are only some of the diseases you may get when you are exposed to rodent droppings and fail to remove them properly. With the help of an animal control expert, you get rid of the mice and rats that infested your property.

How to Remove Rodents Properly

The mistake of many homeowners is that they try to do things on their own, even if they lack the expertise, experience and gear. This same is true for animal control, mishandling nesting materials, droppings and cleaning of living spaces may spread disease in various parts of your home.

An animal control expert will help you get rid of rodents that infested your property. They will make sure to remove all rats and mice in your home, no matter where they are hiding. Once they remove the animals, they will help you implement ways to prevent a re-infestation.

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How to Prevent Tick Infestation Inside Your Home

Ticks are small brown parasitic animals that live in fields or wooded areas. They need blood from animals or humans to live. These creatures are also carriers of different diseases and may transmit these to you with their bite.

Some of the ailments ticks may infect you with include:

• Lyme disease 
• Tularemia 
• Relapsing fever 
• Anaplasmosis and ehrlichiosis 
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever

The symptoms of the transmitted illnesses may vary, but some of the common signs include body aches, headaches, rashes, fever and chills. You need proper animal control services to get rid of ticks.

Leading Causes of a Tick Infestation

Ticks get into your home by riding, people or clothing. They are so small that it is impossible to see them without thorough inspection. They may also get into your property through nesting materials of birds, roosting areas of bats that infested your home, burrows or other living spaces that pests bring.

Ticks need a host to survive they may burrow into a human or animal host living in your property. They look for hosts in the attic, basement or crawl spaces. Some ticks may feed on people or animals before returning to a sheltered site inside crevices, host’s burrow or nest, and cracks.

A raccoon, bat or rodent infestation may also be a sign of ticks because these animals may bring insects along with them or their nesting materials. For a thorough removal of these animals, it is best to hire the services of a wildlife control expert.

Indicators of a Tick Infestation

Ticks move quickly across a host’s body, however, they prefer warm and moist areas such as the scalp, armpits or groin. It is difficult to suspect an infestation because a tick’s bite is painless compared to other insects. Once you or people at home start getting sick, it may also be a sign of a tick infestation.

Always check your body or your pet’s after staying in a tick-infested area. Examine any black or brown spots on your body and do not only focus on places where ticks commonly hide. The size of these insects varies from as large as an eraser or as small as a nail on your pinky.

Remove and Prevent Ticks from Infesting

To remove ticks safely from your body or a pet’s, use tweezers or forceps. You must handle the removal properly to reduce the possibility of an infection.

When removing this insect from the skin, avoid crushing its body because this may expose bite victims to diseases or bacteria. Handle the tick by the tip of its head and make sure to remove mouthparts from the skin.

To prevent a tick infestation, get the services of an animal control expert. Raccoons, squirrels, bats and other animals may bring these insects with them, especially when they look for nesting materials and build a den.

Animal removers have the expertise and experience to remove all sorts of animals humanely and efficiently. They also secure the entry point, clean up and deodorize the den to prevent a re-infestation.

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Effective Ways to Keep Wildlife Out of Property

Are you dealing with a skunk, bat, rodent, squirrel or raccoon infestation? All these animals damage property once they build a den and may transmit all sorts of diseases. They are not only a nuisance but may also increase health risks because of their urine and droppings, and the insects they bring.

Problems Caused by Animal Infestation

Animal control experts cite that raccoons and squirrels tear through walls and may damage insulation or ducts. This will affect the temperature of your home, it will be difficult to keep warm or cool because of the damage caused by these animals. You will spend more on repairs and replacements to be able to control the temperature inside your home again.

The damage may also weaken the structure of your property. Ceilings or roofs may become damaged because of animal activity and allow water and snow to get into places it shouldn’t. Animals that infest your home may also damage electrical wires because of their search for nesting materials.

Animal control specialists help you get rid of the pests that infest, however, you must also take precautions to prevent a re-infestation.

Repairs and Renovations

Squirrels, rats, raccoons and other pests may enter your property through rotten wood and holes. To keep these pests out renovate and repair certain parts of your house. Making these repairs will deter animals from invading your home. Wildlife control experts can help you determine which parts of your house, which animals can claw their way in.

Block Potential Entry Points

Animals have several options when they invade your home; they can enter through gaps between building materials, holes or cracks in the exterior wall and the roof just to name a few. To prevent wildlife from entering your property, make sure to lock or block these areas. Add locks or an extra wall to deter them from invading.

Keep Food Out of Sight

Your property will attract animals, if they know they have access to food. A garden or food you are about to throw away will catch the attention of raccoons, squirrels and rodents. To keep them out, lock garbage bins with food or store them indoors and only bring them out once the collector arrives the next day. Put a fence around your garden or use natural deterrents to prevent wildlife from stealing fruits and vegetables.

Professional Services

Animal control experts help prevent an infestation by providing tips and assisting you determine weak spots around your house. Some companies also use humane methods to remove animals found in your home. They remove the nesting material and deodorize the area to make sure that no other animals re-infest your home.

These tips will prevent animals from infesting your property. Precautionary measures are better than discovering that your house already has raccoons, squirrels or other animals.

Simple things such as keeping food out of sight and repairing certain parts of your home will prevent an infestation.

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Can Skunks Carry Rabies?

Skunks are recognizable animals because of their black and white coat and their distinct scent. One of the misconceptions about spotting this animal in your property is that you might not think they have rabies.

These animals actually are carriers of this deadly illness. You cannot contract the disease directly from a rabid skunk however they can transmit the disease to your pets which then can be passed on to humans. If you find any animals in your property, the best thing to do is seek help from an animal control expert.

What is rabies?

Rabies is an infectious ailment that affects your central nervous system. A rabid animal transmits the virus through their saliva a couple of days before they die. A person cannot get the disease through the urine, feces or blood of an infected host, it does not become airborne either.

The virus travels from the brain to the salivary glands of a rabid animal during its final stages. This is the time when a host can transmit the disease through their bite. Rabies cannot go through unbroken skin; you can get the illness via a bite or through abrasions, scratches, open wounds and mucous membranes that come in contact with brain tissue or saliva of an infected animal.

The virus will not live long when exposed to open air, it will only live in saliva and will eventually die when the saliva dries. If you have a pet who you think had a fight with a rabid animal, wear gloves to prevent saliva from getting into an open wound or broken skin you may currently have.

When you see wild animals wandering near your property, get help from a wildlife control expert to make sure they do not invade your home.

Are skunks dangerous carriers of rabies?

A rabid skunk may present rabies in two different ways; one is the animal will become more aggressive than usual known as the “furious” form, or it will display a complete lack of fear known as the “dumb” form.

A skunk that displays the furious type grows aggressive and foams at the mouth, and is likely to transmit the disease through its bite. If you find a skunk wandering around your yard without any fear or seems disoriented, it may have the dumb form of the illness.

A healthy skunk will normally run away when they see people or pets,if cornered they release a bad smell as a defense mechanism.

What are the signs of a rabid animal?

A rabid animal will display certain behaviors that indicate the type of rabies they have. The signs of the furious form of the disease include:

1. Agitation
2. Bite at real and imaginary objects
3. Excessive drooling

Animals that contracted the dumb form display behaviors such as:

1. No fear of pets or people
2. Appears tame
3. Looks disoriented or drunk

Other symptoms of an infection include; walking around in circles, partial paralysis or self-mutilation.

When you see any of these signs, contact an animal control expert to get rid of these potentially dangerous animals.

How do you get rid of skunks in your property?

Simply killing or trapping skunks you find in your property is a short-term solution. With the help of an animal control expert, you can remove these animals and prevent a re-infestation on your property. They apply humane and proven methods to not only remove the animals, but also deodorize their den and get rid of nesting materials properly.

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