The next time you spot a long, naked tail whisking out of sight or spy beady little eyes looking at you, remember: there is more at stake with rats than stolen snacks and chewed-up cables. These uninvited guests are not only dirty and destructive but can also carry diseases. What diseases do rats carry that you should worry about? Plenty! These critters can spread serious rat diseases that can affect your home, your family, and even your pets. So, grab your face mask, wear protective goggles, and glove up! We’re going to delve into mouse-transmitted diseases and illnesses spread by rats.
Common Rat Diseases
The common diseases rats carry can be spread through their feces, urine, and saliva, and some are transmitted through rodent bites and infected fleas or parasites the little varmints carry. Although rat diseases include the bubonic plague and lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV), let's focus on the most common:
- Hantavirus: This rat disease is found in the critters’ droppings, urine, and saliva and can even hitch a ride on dust motes right into your lungs.
- Leptospirosis: This bacteria thrives in rat urine, so any surface they scuttle across may be smeared with a nasty surprise. Yikes!
- Salmonella: If a rat scurries across your countertops or pantry shelves, it may leave this bacteria behind in its droppings, contaminating your food as it goes.
- Rat-Bite Fever: Despite its name, rat-bite fever can also be transmitted through water or food contaminated by the bacteria in rat urine or droppings. (Eww!)
How Rats Transmit Illnesses to Humans
Knowing what diseases rats carry is just half the story. We’re never going to cure all the rats in the world of the nasty viruses and diseases they carry. So, we also need to focus on how they spread these pathogens to humans, homes, and pets.
Rats are masters of sneakiness, slipping through tiny cracks and holes in the perimeter of our homes. They exploit any small defects in siding, exterior walls, gaps in door and window frames, torn screens, electrical and plumbing pass-throughs, vents, roofs, and foundations. In fact, a rat can squeeze through openings roughly the size of a pencil; however, the ability to squeeze through small openings also depends on factors like the rat's age and the shape of the opening. Young rats are typically able to fit through even smaller openings. Once they discover an entrance point, they come into the home, carrying a load of rat disease pathogens right along with them. Next, they build nests and fan out, searching for food, leaving dribbles of personal yuckiness everywhere they go. This contamination seeps into wood, drywall, and insulation, where it can impact the cleanliness of your home.
Meanwhile, these filthy critters will often scurry across your countertops, pantry shelves, and floors, contaminating food and every surface they touch. But rats don’t stop there. They often carry hitchhiking fleas, ticks, and mites. These pests’ pests (would that be pests²?) are also infected with rat- and mouse-transmitted diseases as well as their own microbes and bacteria. Nasty! They then spread out to bite our pets and family members, providing yet another way to transmit pathogens.
Signs of Rodent Infestation at Home
Rats and mice are extraordinarily fertile little vermin, so early detection and prompt action are key to protecting your home from these filthy invaders and the diseases they carry. Be on the lookout for these telltale signs of a rodent infestation:
- Droppings: Sorry, but rodent droppings are an obvious and odorous sign of their activity. The small, dark, rice-like droppings are also an effective way of spreading the diseases rats carry. They are often found near food sources and along walls.
- Grease Smudges: Wherever they go, rats and mice leave behind greasy smears. These trails, made up of dirt, skin oils, and urine, create faintly visible (though smelly!) marks, especially along walls, baseboards, and entryways.
- Gnaw Marks: Did you know that the teeth of rats and mice never stop growing? They must constantly gnaw on solid materials to keep their teeth from growing up through the roof of their mouth! (I kid you not.) So, you’ll spot gnaw marks on electrical wires (hello, fire hazard!), food packaging, baseboards, and furniture.
- Shredded Materials: Rodents love a soft nest, so they gather bits of insulation, paper, fabric, and whatever else they can find and shred to make cozy nests for their little ones. (Yes, they’re actively planning a family.)
- Scratching and Scurrying Sounds: Hear faint scratching behind the walls or above the ceiling late at night? Is your dog or cat fascinated? Yep — sounds like you have furry freeloaders with busy little paws and claws scratching as they go.
- Funky, Musty Smell: Rodents are particularly odiferous houseguests. And it’s not just their unhygienic habits that cause a stench. If a rodent dies inside your walls — brace yourself.
- Paw Prints and Tail Trails: Dusty surfaces may reveal small rodent paw prints or long drag marks from a long, naked tail. Tail tracks are one of the ways you can tell mice from rats. (Rats have stiff, heavy tails they drag behind them.)
To protect your home and family from the diseases that rats carry, respond promptly if you notice any of these signs.
Preventing Rodent-Borne Diseases at Home
Now that you know the potential risks rats pose when it comes to transmission of diseases, you may be wondering, do mice carry diseases too? The answer is, yes! So, you don’t want to wait for these nasty, germy little critters to move in and make themselves at home before you take action. Get rid of rats in the yard before they come indoors. Take the following steps to keep them out and protect your home and family from the diseases rats carry.
- Seal Entry Points: Grab a pencil and carefully examine every inch of your home’s exterior, focusing on areas around doors, windows, utility pipes, and foundations. If you spot a space the pencil fits through, a mouse or rat can enter. Block the opening with steel wool, caulk, or weatherproof sealant.
- Always Store Food Properly: Rodents are drawn to easy meals, so always store food (Fido’s and Fluffy’s, too) in airtight containers. Wipe up spills and crumbs promptly.
- Eliminate Water Sources: Rodents need water just as much as food, so take care to fix leaky faucets, pipes, and irrigation. Don’t leave the kitchen sink with water in the dishes, and keep the spaces under your sinks dry.
- Clear Away the Clutter: Piles of clutter, particularly in the attic, basement, or garage, provide perfect cover for nesting rodents. Keep these areas tidy, and store items up off the floor when possible.
- Use Rodent-Proof Bins: Garbage beckons to rodents like a picnic. Keep the trash in hard plastic or metal bins with tight-fitting lids indoors and out.
- Remove Hiding Places: Keep your yard tidy and free from weeds and debris where mice and rats like to hide. Trim the trees, shrubs, and vines, and store firewood well up off the ground (at least 18 inches) and away from your home.
- Hire Professional Pest Control: When you see signs of rodent activity, call in the pros to stop the critters in their tracks. Mosquito Joe® provides rat extermination and mouse exterminator services you can rely on.
Back up your own critter-be-gone efforts with professional rodent control to protect yourself and your loved ones from mouse and rat diseases.
Protect Your Home and Family from Rodent-Borne Health Risks
We get it. Learning what diseases rats carry can be uncomfortable. But that’s nothing compared to dealing with a rodent infestation or actually getting sick from the filthy critters. Partner with Mosquito Joe, your local pest control experts, to keep your home and property free from rodents. Our comprehensive pest control services include taking mice and rats right off your list of things to worry about.
The Neighborly Done Right Promise™ and Mosquito Joe Satisfaction Guarantee back everything we do, ensuring you’ll be happy with our work.
So, request a free quote, and we’ll evict the little freeloaders for you.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and may not be applicable to every situation. You are responsible for determining the proper course of action for your home and property. Mosquito Joe is not responsible for any damages that occur as a result of this blog content or your actions. For the most accurate guidance, contact your local Mosquito Joe location for a comprehensive, on-site assessment.
