What Diseases Do Squirrels Have?
Squirrels are typically harmless, rarely biting unless they’ve been cornered or feel threatened. They are capable of carrying and transmitting a handful of diseases. Squirrels can transmit diseases to people through direct contact, such as a squirrel bite or scratch, or through indirect contact, such as contact with urine, feces, or contaminated soil or water.
Six squirrel diseases that people can get:
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Salmonellosis: Salmonella bacteria found in droppings. Symptoms typically appear 12 to 72 hours after exposure and can include diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, nausea, vomiting, and headache. In some cases, complications such as dehydration, sepsis, and meningitis may occur.
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Lyme disease: Spread by the ticks squirrels carry, symptoms include nerve pain, stiffness, and inflammation of the brain or spinal cord.
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Ringworm: A highly contagious fungal infection that is usually spread through direct contact with an infected person or animal or indirect contact. An infected squirrel in your attic can contaminate a variety of objects and surfaces like floors, towels, furniture, and clothing.
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Tularemia: Infectious disease that attacks the skin, eyes lymph nodes, and lungs. Common symptoms include fever, chills, headache, ulcers, fatigue, swollen lymph nodes, and muscle aches.
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Leptospirosis: Bacterial infection that causes fever, headache, vomiting, jaundice, and rash.
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Rabies: Though rare, sometimes squirrels pass the rabies virus onto humans via biting or scratching.
Many of these diseases are fatal when left untreated, so individuals should monitor for symptoms, and seek medical attention after coming in contact with squirrel urine or feces. Breathing in particles of the animal's excrement is the most common method of disease transmission.
Squirrel Parasites
Squirrels can be hosts to other pests such as fleas, ticks, and mites. These pests can affect people if you are in close contact with squirrels. Ticks can spread diseases like Lyme diseases, Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, and Tulamia. Fleaborne diseases include plague, Flea-borne typhus, and cat scratch disease.
Preventing Squirrel Diseases
The best way to prevent the spread of disease is to avoid contact with squirrels and their droppings. We also encourage wearing gloves and masks in the case of an infestations to reduce the possibility of contracting illnesses.
Get Professional Squirrel Control
While they look cute, never attempt to handle or pick up a squirrel. They are still a wild animal, and squirrels can be dangerous. Their bites and scratches hurt and could potential spread a disease.
Contact professional wildlife removal services if you’ve identified a squirrel problem on your property.
Critter Control technicians are trained in the safe and humane removal of nuisance squirrels. After squirrel control, Critter Control technicians apply ectoparasite and sanitization agents. These clean the areas by exterminating fleas, ticks, and mites and disinfecting anything contaminated by squirrels.
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Best Bat Removal
Brandon was out to please and make out lives easier with out bat situation. Above and beyond of the call of duty and got the job done. Thank you!
BAT POOP CLEAN-UP AND PREVENTION! Bat guano removed from gables. No bats found in attic, so put new screens on all gable vents, as one screen was close to breaking and then bats may have gotten in! Great work in
Tulsa!
Squirrels and chipmunks were in our attic. So we called Critter Control to do an inspection. Their representative climbed all over our very steep roof and found several places where squirrels had entered our attic.
Upon inspection of the attic, evidence of bats was also found. The Critter Control team came on time to completely caulk the entire perimeter of the house and create an exit strategy for the squirrels and bats.
Because
bat droppings can cause histoplasmosis, this also required total removal and replacement of our attic insulation and sanitizing the space. Not a small job in a 1,300 sq. ft. attic! While Critter Control’s cost was high, our homeowners insurance covered most of it. Everyone representing Critter Control was professional, courteous and timely. I would highly recommend them to anyone who thinks they might have unwelcome guests living in their attic
On recommendations from a nearby pest control company, I called Critter Control for suspicious
bat droppings.
Madison came out the same day to do an inspection. She was knowledgeable, thorough, and highly professional. She examined the ‘matter’ that had been scattered on my threshold and thought it was foliage. But she then asked to go up to my attic space where the bats could be roosting. She had to walk up 3 flights of stairs with a heavy ladder. She again spent some time searching all the nooks and crannies and found nothing.
She seemed so interested in her craft, it was truly inspiring to see! She reassured me and is writing up a prevention strategy for my appraisal. She charged me NOTHING!! I am so impressed. We need more Madisons in this world!
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Bat Removal
We noticed droppings on our brand new deck - we were given their number from our contractor. They came the next day. Brian looked at it and said - yeah, bats!! He then checked every area in our attic and he explained exactly what needed to be done.
He found evidence of a mice infestation, provided a referral and they are helping us as well. Great service, very informative, very professional! We are very satisfied and would recommend them to anyone who has any issues with any critters!
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