CDC Warns of Cannibalistic and Violent Rat Attacks in Major Cities

As though 2020 hasn’t been crazy enough, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) now warns the public of violent cannibalistic rats sightings in major cities. With world-wide shutdowns due to the COVID-19 pandemic, excess garbage and waste has depleted greatly. For many, less waste and clutter in the streets is a good thing. However, if you’re a rat, it means less food to eat. 

Rats in major cities such as New York supplement the majority of their diet with leftover human waste and garbage. If you’re a rat, this puts you in a bit of a tough situation. Over the last month, rats who survive mostly on the contents of a dumpster now have to resort to desperate measures. 

Aggressive Rat Behavior 

The CDC reports that these dumpster-dwelling rats have now resorted to eating their own young as a source of food. Environmental health and pest control specialists are expected to see more rodent reports along with “aggressive” behavior. 

Thankfully, the rats aren’t becoming aggressive towards people, just other rats. In other words, the pandemic has become a sort of “rat eat rat” world.

An increase in rat sightings during this time is not unheard of. Cities like Chiago and New Orleans reported an more rat sightings at the beginning of April when people first fled into their homes.

Now although rats aren’t necessarily outright attacking humans, the increase in aggressive behavior towards other rats is concerning. This could suggest territorial issues with humans who may overstep their bounds. 

Protect and Preventing Rat Infestations

In a recent poll, Pest Brigade discovered that there has been an increase in exterminator calls since the start of the pandemic. This is largely due to the fact that people are home more often and noticing smaller infestations that they normally would. 

However, if you do find signs of a rat or rodent infestation in your home, you should immediately try to eliminate it. This is especially true if you live in a larger city where rats commonly find their food sources via your garbage, but need to make their way inside to now find food. 

Preventing rats is easy as long as you stay consistent. Start by looking for signs of infestation. Inspect your home in closets, kitchen cabinets, bathrooms, and pantries for: 

• Rodent droppings 
• Chew marks or damage to clothing and wood
• Greasy rub marks, stains, and tracks
• Strange noises 
• Nests in warm and dark places

If you do find these signs, be sure to set rodent traps and call an exterminator in your area. If you need help finding a qualified expert, Pest Brigade can hook you up with a trusted partner in just one call. 

If your home doesn’t have signs of infestations, take steps towards preventing infestations by:

• Repairing and filling smalls crack in your home 
• Fixing leaks and keeping moist areas dry
• Clearing out any clutter or waste
• Cutting branches that hang close to your home
• Properly storing and sealing all food, waste, and water sources
• Regularly cleaning and inspecting your home

Rats, much like humans, need three things to survive: food, water, and shelter. As city rats begin to lose their main food source and turn on each other, they may resort to further invading homes. Pest Brigade warns against this, and recommends everyone practice regular pest control for prevention.