Although the number of different diseases that can infect humans is quite large, most people are affected by only a few of them, and many of the diseases people do experience are easily overcome. The same seems to be true of wild animals, although statistical records do not always tell us which animals are most apt to experience what diseases and how serious some of those diseases can be. What is known is that some wild animal diseases can be passed on to humans, and several of them can be quite serious and potentially deadly.

Diseases that spread from animals to humans are called zoonotic diseases. There are a few zoonotic diseases that humans can spread to animals, but which are not widely known. Fortunately, a great deal is known about most of the more common zoonotic diseases that can make the jump from wild animals to people. For example, we know quite a bit about rabies, plague, and Hantavirus, and therefore have some knowledge of the steps that can be taken to avoid them.

Some zoonotic diseases are spread by bites or scratches, some are airborne, and a few are encountered while an animal carcass is being handled or being prepared in some way. While most people can avoid encounters with wild animals, or at least having to touch them, the same is not true of hunters who consequently are at a higher risk of contracting a certain number of these diseases. Several examples of how zoonotic diseases can be spread are given below.

• Animal Bites – Most bites are caused by household pets, and do not result in the transmission of a disease. A person is more apt to be bitten by a wild animal, however, if the animal is approached too closely, or is touched. Most instances of rabies are caused by wild animal bites.

• Flea and Tick Bites– Flea bites are usually harmless although they can be quite irritating and can sometimes lead to secondary infections. Wild animals, including birds, will sometimes host fleas that have been infected with some type of virus. An infected flea bite or tick bite can cause a human to become ill, even if the host animal is not. Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever are often associated with wildlife but are actually caused by ticks.

• Brucellosis – This disease is not as widespread in the United States as once was the case, but is still a major problem in Latin America and some developing countries. It is normally spread by cattle, but in the U.S. the disease is most often associated with bison. Significant efforts in the United States are made to keep open-range bison and cattle separated for this reason.

• West Nile Virus – While this familiar virus is particularly dangerous to horses, as South Louisianians well know it can affect humans and in some cases can prove to be fatal. The common carrier of this virus is a mosquito that has been infected with the disease, but birds and other wild animals that have been bitten by an infected mosquito can also be carriers and so spread the infection to humans. The direct spreading of the virus from animals to humans is at the present time somewhat rare.

Most of the diseases that can endanger humans are viruses, while parasitic diseases are somewhat less common. When they do occur it is often the result of field dressing wild game that are hosts of parasites of one type or another, with the disease usually being transmitted by eggs which enter the human organism.

Statistically, the instances of humans being infected with diseases by wild animals are relatively uncommon, but why take the chance?

Let the professionals handle it. From squirrels in your attic to raccoons in your yard, the wildlife removal experts from Dugas Pest Control will quickly and safely restore peace at your home.

If you have an attic in your house which you use for storage and frequently visit, the chances of one or more squirrels taking up residence there, particularly during the winter, are quite low. If the attic is empty or rarely visited however, the story can be quite different.

An attic can make a nice home for at least three types of animals: birds, bats, and squirrels. If left alone, birds are unlikely to cause a great deal of harm. Bats on the other hand can multiply over a period of several years, and have caused ceilings to collapse in more than one household from the sheer weight of accumulated guano, which besides leaving a mess can also be a health hazard.

Often squirrels are mostly a bird feeder nuisance, but if they spend most of their indoors time in your attic they can also work their way in between interior or exterior walls, where they have a potential for causing a great deal of damage. The presence of squirrels in a house is often first detected when they are heard scurrying in the walls of the home.

Squirrels don’t normally enter a house through an open door and somehow manage to work their way to the attic where they’ll feel safe. A squirrel might not even think of a house as being a place of shelter except for one thing: most houses leak heat. Squirrels seek warm places as cold weather approaches, so if they detect heat coming from a house they will look for the source. That source may well turn out to be a crack, hole, or vent through which the animal can gain entry.

A squirrel can work its way through any opening its head will fit through. If such an opening only leads to a small space, that will be good enough for the squirrel so long as it is a place it can keep warm. If the opening gives the squirrel the run of the house, or at least gives it access to the walls and the attic, so much the better. A squirrel that takes up residence in a small space will rarely present a problem. You leave it alone, because you’re not even aware it’s there, and it will leave you alone.

Where a problem arises however, is that one squirrel can become several squirrels, or at least two squirrels can, and if your home or attic is particularly attractive to a few squirrels the friends and close relations may soon join them. This does not usually occur in the numbers that bats can attain, but it is enough to cause problems.

When a squirrel can really become a danger is when it finds itself in a place where it cannot escape from. Of course, it won’t just sit there quietly waiting for death to come; it will try its very best to chew its way out. A squirrel can easily chew through most kinds of wood, especially softwoods, and drywall is no problem at all. Additionally, while chewing its way to safety it might chew through an electrical wire or cable. That might be the end of the squirrel, but it could also be the beginning of a fire. Copper pipes are no match for a squirrel’s teeth either. If it needs to chew through a pipe to find food, water, or freedom, it will do so. The end result could be an expensive plumbing bill and perhaps some water damage expenses as well.

Squirrels are cute, and they can even be tamed to some degree, but you really want to keep them away from your house unless you are absolutely certain there is no opening they can gain access to. That usually means a thorough inspection by you, by an animal control specialist, or by a building contractor who knows what to look for.

In the meantime, if you haven’t been up in your attic for a year or more, you might want to check it out for evidence of squirrels.

Baton Rouge is home to a wide assortment of wildlife and animals, many of which are able to coexist with people just fine. However, there are a number that can become pests, meaning they either damage your property or pose a serious risk to you and your family. Let’s take a look at three of the most common versions in Baton Rouge.

Raccoons

Raccoons are a common staple throughout Baton Rouge, whether you’re in the suburbs or the city. This is due in large part to the raccoon’s very non-discerning appetite. As an omnivore it may feed on fruits, acorns, insects, crayfish, fish, turtles, young rabbits, carrion, birds, and their eggs. However, raccoons will also go through your garbage to look for anything else it may feed on, which is quite the list.

Aside from their diets, raccoons can be real pests because of how well they survive alongside humans. Being nocturnal means most of us will never see them, even though they might find their way into our attics, garages, sheds, etc. This kind of fearlessness can be a real issue.

Worst of all, raccoons have a track record for carrying rabies. So waking up to find they got into your pet’s food is the least of your concerns. For this reason, never attempt to remove a raccoon from your property, rabies will make them hyper-aggressive and prone to attack. This can also represent a huge threat to your pets.

Opossums

Opossums can grow to be about half the size as raccoons, but their bodies tend to be gray or silver with bright white faces, pink noses and ears like a mouse. Their teeth are thin and sharp and they have paws that resemble human hands with their four fingers and opposable thumbs. Long rat-like tails are also extremely noticeable.

These pests are also like raccoons in that they are extremely versatile when it comes to their diets and where they’re willing to live. While just about any swamp in the area will feature an opossum, they also love the type of shelter available to them on your property.

Fortunately, one major difference is that opossums don’t get rabies like raccoons. They are also extremely docile and would rather play dead than put up a fight. Still, cornering one is never a wise move.

Despite their perceived meekness, opossums are still an issue you don’t want to deal with. They can make a mess of your garbage, pet food and even your chicken coop. Opossums can also carry with them a number of parasites and diseases.

Squirrels

Squirrels are so common in Baton Rouge, you may have a hard time believing anyone could seriously consider them pests. However, squirrels can definitely become a huge problem if they get into your home.

Generally, squirrels will take the opportunity to enter your home through the attic. This is especially common during the winter, when temperatures around Baton Rouge drop and squirrels look for additional shelter. Fortunately, while they may cause some damage to the inside of your house, barn, shed, etc., they are rarely seen as a threat to your well-being.

That being said, squirrels are not opposed to chewing through telephone lines and electrical cables. If you experience issues with either in your home, it could be because squirrels are tampering with them.

Although these three pests may not always look like the most imposing creatures, it’s important that you have opossums and raccoons removed from your property as soon as you notice them. Dugas Pest Control is experienced at dealing with both. While removing squirrels isn’t always necessary, keep an eye out for problems with your property that may mean they’ve overstayed their welcome. In that case, Dugas can help too.

There is no doubt that most of us love seeing a cute raccoon in a state park or on a nature walk.  But you definitely don’t want to see that same raccoon rooting through your dog’s food when you open your garage door at night.

Or, if you see a big black snake in your yard, can you really be sure that it is probably just a harmless Louisiana king snake?  Very few people can correctly identify a snake in a situation like this.

The fact is that if you are hearing scratching and gnawing noises in your attic, or finding over turned garbage cans in the morning, there is a good chance you may have a problem with something commonly called “nuisance wildlife”.  And while some people may only experience the inconvenience of an uprooted garden, others encounters can be more serious to your health.  For instance, many people don’t know that armadillos can carry leprosy!

There are groups of nuisance wildlife animals that seem to cause most of the problems. These include:

• Raccoons
• Opossums
• Snakes
• Armadillos

What should you do if you see these animals around?

You have few alternatives in getting rid of these pests. But unless you are a pest control expert, “do it yourself” should be out of the question.  Each of these animals can be potentially dangerous, especially when cornered.  And each packs a nasty bite if you are unlucky enough to get too close.

Even if you are lucky enough to actually catch one of these animals, you need to know where you can release them and how to do this in a manner which doesn’t harm the animals.  And once they are gone, there are issues you may still need to address at your home or business to keep the animals from coming BACK – this is referred to as “exclusion”.

If you are seeing these animals regularly on your property here are a few tips:

• Don’t try to handle, pet or feed them
• Exercise caution if you are going to try and capture them yourselves
• Never shoot, harm or kill one of these animals.  In addition to being inhumane, it may actually be illegal unless you are licensed to do removal
• Check your trash cans, pet food, etc to make sure you are not leaving an easy source of food for them.
• Make sure that decking, woodpiles, etc. are cleaned out regularly to avoid making common nesting areas too comfortable for them.
• Keep grass and gardens under control

Many people wind up looking for help after trying unsuccessfully to trap and remove these animals.  After all, creatures like raccoons and armadillos are notoriously “trap shy”.  If you find yourself in this situation, call us today as we now offer nuisance wildlife control and removal in the Baton Rouge area.