Have you found what looks like multiple piles of dirt around the house? If these have sprung up seemingly out of nowhere, take the time to stop and look a little closer. Rat droppings and mouse poop are easy to identify if you know what to look for. Rat poop is dropped in larger groupings, usually near insulation, and each pellet is roughly the size and shape of an olive. Mouse droppings, on the other hand, are longer and smaller in shape with a pointy end. With that in mind, the dirt in your home might not be dirt at all, but an indicator of a potential rodent infestation. If that’s the case, then you need to act quickly, as rat and mouse poop can indeed make your household sick.

Hantavirus: Caused by Rat and Mice Poop

There are risks that come from handling rodents themselves. You can get salmonellosis or rat-bite fever from eating food they’ve contaminated, or even the Bubonic Plague from the bite of an infected rodent flea. But if you have rat or mouse droppings around your home, you run the risk of unknowingly infecting you and your household with Hantavirus. Hantavirus is transmitted to humans through exposure to infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva. It’s a severe, sometimes even fatal respiratory disease that can start with a fever and headaches and end with your lungs filling with fluid. Treatment can be incredibly difficult, so it’s agreed that the best course of action is to keep a clean home free of any rodents.

What to do if you see Mouse or Rat Droppings

If you see a pile of rat or mouse poop around your home, your initial instinct may be to sweep or vacuum it up. That’s sound in theory, but if this is an infected pile of droppings disturbing it can send the Hantavirus into the air. A better course of action would be to put on protective gear and carefully disinfect the contaminated area. This could be done through a virucidal cleaner, bleach and disinfectant, or even just washing fabrics in hot water. Don’t keep the gloves or dust mask you use after the fact, as they’ll likely now be infected and unsanitary beyond repair. And – most importantly – keep in mind that where there are rodent droppings, there are rodents, and they need to be eliminated or removed before causing any more damage to your house or the people that live in it. You need help, and Blue Chip Pest Services is ready to get to work.

Blue Chip Pest Services for Rodent Control

At Blue Chip Pest Services, we know all the major rodents in the area and have 50 years’ worth of experience in keeping them out of your home and off your mind. Rat and mouse poop is a serious issue with potentially devastating consequences, but with the right care, it doesn’t have to get that bad. So if you see a pile of droppings in your home, before you do anything else be sure to contact Blue Chip Pest Services!