Posts Tagged ‘rats’

Were you aware that May is “National Pet Month”?

Lots of us own pets, from cats to snakes and because of this we can also from time to time get uninvited pests including ticks and other vermin. In Arizona we don’t get fleas very often but we do encounter ticks on a regular basis. So what can you do to stop those infestations from happening to your home.

1. Don’t leave food out for feral cats, this may bring in other unwanted pests.
2. If you see holes in the yard check for Pocket gophers, they can damage plants and bring in pests.
3. Even birds like pigeons can bring in pests, don’t allow them them to live on your roof.
4. Bats can make your attic a home, seal and block all access into your attic. Bat Bugs can take up residence within your attic and if you get rid of the bats, the Bat Bugs may come into your home space.
5. Check your pets frequently for signs of fleas or ticks. You can use over the counter medicines but if you do please mention this to your Pest Management Professional – some of those products may contain a similar products and cause an overdose to the pet.
6. Keep grass or vegetation trimmed around the home.
7. Don’t become a hoarder, keep debris away from the home and discourage rodent activity.
8. Never place firewood next to your home, don’t invite rodents or pests near the home. If you use firewood only bring in what you plan on using right away.
9. If you have rodents, it may lead to snakes. Snakes have to eat so don’t encourage them to come to your house.
10. Don’t allow water to stand, mosquitoes can bite and transit diseases and parasites to your pets.

Why do we all need to be careful?

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), approximately 10,000 children a year are accidentally exposed to mouse and rat baits.

Every day in the United States, 87 people die as a result of unintentional poisoning, and another 2,277 are treated in emergency departments.

Drug overdose death rates in the US have more than tripled since 1990.

In 2010, poison control centers reported receiving calls about 2.4 million human poison exposure cases.

Get more information at CDC and the American Association of Poison Control Centers Facebook page and lets all try to be safe.

Who cares about bugs and rodents?

Each and every day I’m reminded of the valuable service ProBest Pest Management offers, why you ask? Let me share some of my most memorable days of Public Health:

• Customer called me because they couldn’t even get into their home because the fleas were so plentiful.
• In all my 20+ years I had never seen Bed Bugs until 2009, that year we received our first call. In 2012 I witnessed over 1000 Bed Bugs in a very small home – I was amazed and also creeped out and itched all day. We were able to alleviate the problem but it stills worries me that people will put up with something like this until it virtually becomes a real BIG problem.
• A young woman continued to call about Ticks, we treated her yard but she wouldn’t let us inspect her home. We did find ticks inside under a couch and solved the problem after finally finding the source.
• I may have mentioned this before but a mobile home with at the every least 5 million cockroaches. I’m not kidding, I felt almost hopeless for this family. It took some time but I think we did a good job for them.
• I once had the task of doing some Drywood Termite work in a church, the tower or steeple had more pigeon feces than I had ever seen. It was probably 10 foot deep and went down walls and was just gross, we fumigated the building and they had someone remove the feces and prevent them from gaining entry anymore.
• Sometimes architecture often allows entry points into a structure, stucco not properly sealed or pipes or cable opening not sealed. I once particpated with a fumigation for cockroaches and never thought about rodents until the job was completed. Many, many dead rodents, by the way do you know that rodents love cockroaches?

Well anyway you get the picture, Public Health equals quality pest control.

What did they use in the older days of bug control?

From dusters to moth devices that could be placed within closets or dressers to rodent repellers. These products were for the DIY or Do It Yourselfers and some worked very well and others didn’t. Did any of these work for you? Comments please!

Can kind of concern do rodents pose?

• Rodents pose a serious threat of spreading disease, I read reports weekly about the spread of disease and rodents are right at the top generally speaking. What are some of those nasty little diseases I’m talking about. —Plague, salmonellosis, Hanta Virus, leptospirosis, rickettsialpox and lymphomactic choriomeningitis.
• Gnawing, they can gnaw electrical lines, pool pump lines, all the while possibly triggering an explosion or file within homes or businesses. They also cause damage to the structure itself by creating holes or entry points.
• They carry parasites like fleas and ticks and if you get rid of the rodent may have only you to feed upon.
• They contaminate about 20% of the world’s food supply by either eating it or spreading filth like feces or urine into it.
• They can also make you fearful, have nightmares and have anxiety attacks.

So I think it is extremely important to keep them out and in check, if you have an issue call a  Pest Management Professional today or ASAP.

DON’T LET THESE COMMENSAL RODENTS – SHARE YOUR TABLE!