Squirrels can be more dangerous than you think. They are wild animals and live in the depths of forests here in Ontario, but can also venture out in the urban jungle and invade your home if you’re not careful. Are squirrels harmful to humans? And what kind of concerns do they pose if they invade your home?
If you’re worried, your best bet is to contact a squirrel removal company in Hamilton. Experts will be able to give you tips and get rid of any invaders you have in your home.
What Health Problems do Squirrels Cause to Humans?
Whenever you’ve got a wild squirrel problem in your home, it can be a huge problem to get rid of. After all, squirrels can easily breach your home and cause a wide variety of damage including ripping out electrical wires and ruining your insulation.
As far as health problems, squirrels do indeed carry a host of diseases that can be transferred to humans.
Rabies
While rabies from squirrels is rare, they can still carry it and be dangerous to humans. Rabid squirrels are extremely aggressive and can even transmit the virus to your pet. Rabid squirrels are often more uncontrolled than normal squirrels, displaying odd behaviours such as jerky, random movements,
This means that if you have a rabid squirrel in your home, it is highly advised to not take care of the problem yourself. Instead, seek professional help as rabies causes thousands of deaths every year in over 100 countries.
Leptospirosis
Because squirrels urinate everywhere they go, if a squirrel invades your home or even worse— your attic—, the urine they leave behind can cause Leptospirosis if it comes into contact with an open wound. Symptoms include rashes, headaches, fever, and vomiting. It can even lead to kidney failure and meningitis if left untreated.
Lyme Disease
Squirrels also carry ticks that can cause lyme disease. Since squirrel fur is a paradise for ticks, they can transfer into your house and spread. Symptoms include fatigue, bruising, and headaches. Severe symptoms can result in heart palpitations and facial palsy.
And if you end up with an infected tick, you can carry symptoms of lyme disease for years.
Salmonellosis
You can contract the Salmonella bacteria from squirrel feces. Along with urine, squirrels defecate multiple times a day, and their feces can fester and spread Salmonellosis. If you catch this disease, you can feel sick for a week from diarrhea and vomiting. Intestinal cramps are also possible from this disease.
How Concerned Should You Be if a Squirrel Invades Your Home?
That question depends on you. Squirrels can carry a host of diseases that infect humans, so if you value your health and safety, it’s highly recommended to call a squirrel removal professional to help with your invasion problem. That way, you’ll be safe and you can relax knowing experts will take care of your problem.