tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post6464470565004510579..comments2024-03-18T21:13:23.616-04:00Comments on Ecofrugal Living: Oh, ratsAmy Livingstonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16362533758291353748noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post-33471724547452253462023-08-17T23:31:28.793-04:002023-08-17T23:31:28.793-04:00Sorry, but rats can indeed carry diseases. They ca...Sorry, but rats can indeed carry diseases. They can directly transmit hantavirus, leptospirosis, salmonellosis, and monkeypox, among others, and they don't have to bite you to do it; they spread germs through their droppings, which they leave everywhere. They can also be hosts for fleas that carry babesiosis, typhus, Lyme disease and, as you say, plague. And, on top of that, a rat in your house can do a lot of damage to walls, wiring, and even plumbing. So you really don't want one in your home. If we could have been sure the rat would stay outside, we wouldn't have worried too much about it, but as you note, they're intelligent critters and can also squeeze into pretty small spaces. The groundhogs, which are much bigger rodents, didn't concern us as much because they were unlikely to invade the house. <br />https://www.cdc.gov/healthypets/pets/wildlife/rodent-control.htmlAmy Livingstonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16362533758291353748noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6276531209730408101.post-66775189154667017442023-08-17T22:13:01.606-04:002023-08-17T22:13:01.606-04:00Rats do not carry diseases and they are not danger...Rats do not carry diseases and they are not dangerous or aggressive if you don't actively try to pick them up or corner them. The plague was caused by fleas on the rats. Dangerous fleas can live on cats and dogs and we don't live in fear of their presence. Rats are as emotionally complex as human children and generally have an IQ around 100. They will sacrifice themselves for their friends and even use complex language and grammer/ syntax. We can't hear most of their sounds due to the high pitch being above detectable levels for humans. You obviously have compassion for animals with the way you talk about your groundhog friend which is wonderful. I used to be scared of rats and thought they were disgusting but they are actually just misunderstood. I'm sure this particular rat is long gone by now with its short life span but I hope your love for animals in general will expand with this knowledge. BTW groundhogs are just big rodents, similar to rats and squirrels. Have a wonderful day:)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com