Rats

Like all mammals, rodents are furry, warm blooded animals that nurse their young. Most rodents are fairly small but the largest can reach over 100 pounds. The most distinctive feature of rodents is their front teeth. All rodents have a pair of constantly growing teeth at the front of their mouths called incisors. They use these teeth to gnaw on things.

Rodent-borne diseases are spread directly to humans through bite wounds, consuming food or water that is contaminated with rodent feces, coming in contact with surface water contaminated with rodent urine, or through breathing in germs that may be present in rodent urine or droppings that have been stirred into the air (a process known as “aerosolization”). Diseases from rodents are also spread indirectly to humans by way of ticks, mites, and fleas that transmit the infection to humans after feeding on infected rodents. In some cases, the rodents are the reservoirs (carriers) of the diseases, while in other cases the ticks, mites, or fleas act as the disease reservoirs.

The Division advocates the CDC seal up; trap up; clean up: motto