Pest Control: The Consequences of a Rat Infestation in your Home

“The observatory management team were advised not to allow an infant to stay at the high-altitude observatory… They ignored… [this advice] …and allowed the infant to stay at the industrialized research facility. The industrial facility was regarded as health and safety risk to the infant and had infestations of rodents and scorpions.” – Steven Magee

Do you have a rat infestation in your living space? Are these rodents perhaps in your roof, between the ceiling and the roof tiles? Or, are they possibly in your yard’s outbuildings like the garage or garden shed? If so, the logical question is, should you put measures into place to get rid of them? Or, is it acceptable to leave them where they are?

The short answer is that the rats should be removed from your residence. And, it is essential to ask an expert who is experienced at pest control in Boise, ID.

Why? 

By way of answering this question, let’s look at the consequences of leaving the rats to run around your home and yard. 

Rodents as pests carry disease

At this point in the article, it’s vital to be cognizant of the fact that rats only become pests when they invade human spaces in large numbers. Rats and mice form part of the natural order in the ecosystem in that they are food for birds of prey like owls, foxes, and other carnivores. 

However, according to the US Epidemiology Resource Center (ERC), “rats and mice have no respect for social class; they are equal opportunity pests.” The ERC article also goes on to state that estimated rat populations in the United States show that there is one rat for every person living in the country. 

Rats tend to migrate towards human settlements as these environments provide the three necessities; ergo, food, water, and shelter. However, the consequences of a rat infestation can be dire. Historically, diseases like the Black Death or Bubonic Plague were caused by a bacterium known as Yersinia Pestis that was transferred from infected rats and fleas to people by biting them. 

The Bubonic Plague wiped out more than 50% of the human population in Europe and Asia in the mid-1300. Therefore, if this is one reason to remove a rat infestation from your home, it is this reason. They are effectively dangerous to human health. Never mind the fact that they have also been known to nibble on babies’ and children’s feet and hands.

Rats eat agricultural products suitable for human consumption

Not only do rats spread disease, but they also cause untold damage when they get into storage facilities where agricultural products like grains are stored. They run over the food leaving feces and saliva on the grains; thus, ensuring that the food is no longer fit for human consumption. 

Worst-case, this scenario can and will result in famine as a rat and mice infestation can destroy large amounts of food in an extremely short space of time.

Final thoughts 

This article has highlighted a few of the fundamental reasons why you must prevent rats and mice from making their home in human settlement areas. Consequently, the final point made that must emphasize the impact of a rat infestation in your living environment is to echo the quotation mentioned above by Steven Magee: 

“The industrial facility was regarded as health and safety risk to the infant and had infestations of rodents and scorpions.”

Thus, it is vital to ensure that any rodents that move in are removed as a matter of priority.