Roof Rat Bites

Diseases including rat bite fever can be transmitted through a roof rat bite or scratch.

Roof rat bites.

How to prevent a roof rat infestation. Toxic baits or rodenticides are intended to kill the rats when they eat the bait. Roof rats get ferocious and tend to bite or scratch when threatened or cornered. Rats will bite or scratch if frightened or handled so leave them alone.

In self defense they may bite or chase. Similar to many other rodent species roof rats may show aggression when threatened. Roof rats have long been named as carriers of the fleas responsible for the plague also known as the black death in the middle ages. Roof rats may be attracted to simple food scraps including pieces of fruit and bacon.

These bites or scratches can cause what is known as rat bite fever or even tetanus. This will get the rat used to eating at that location. Symptoms of rat bite fever occur within a few days to a few weeks. Sometimes the bite or scratch is already healed when symptoms begin so it s important to know what they are.

You can also contract rat bite fever if you come in contact with a dead rat or end up ingesting food or water which has been contaminated by rat feces. To prevent rats from entering your home seal up any holes or cracks larger than a quarter. Symptoms of rat bite fever include vomiting headache fever and muscle and joint pain. While this plague is no longer as serious a threat to humans roof rats are still potential carriers of disease.