Photo: Anna Shvets

Will a rat bite you?

Healthy rats typically avoid people and prefer to be active when buildings are quiet. However, when cornered, they will lunge and bite to defend themselves. The saliva of some species of rats carries hazardous diseases, such as leptospirosis and Hantavirus. In rare cases, rat bite victims may contract rat-bite fever.

orkin.com - Rat Bites: What Happens When Rats Bite - Orkin

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Rats are equipped with large teeth and administer painful bites when threatened. Healthy rats typically avoid people and prefer to be active when buildings are quiet. However, when cornered, they will lunge and bite to defend themselves. The saliva of some species of rats carries hazardous diseases, such as leptospirosis and Hantavirus. In rare cases, rat bite victims may contract rat-bite fever. Humans bitten by rodents are also susceptible to tetanus infections. Rat bites may be shallow or deep. Some display single puncture wounds, while others display multiple abrasions. Bleeding often occurs. Although infection is rare, all rodent bites should be promptly and thoroughly cleaned and disinfected. Tetanus immunizations may be required for those who have not received them in recent years. Despite common belief, no rodent bites in North America have ever resulted in the transmission of rabies. However, a person bitten by a rat should seek a medical professional.

Signs and Symptoms

The common symptoms of a rat bite are pain, redness, swelling around the bite and, if secondary infection occurs, a weeping, pus-filled wound. Other rat bite symptoms may include those associated with bacterial infections known as streptobacillary rat bite fever and spirillary rat bite fever. Muscle ache, vomiting, joint pain, headache, fever, and rash are common symptoms of streptobacillary rat bite fever. Symptoms usually occur 3-10 days after an infected rat bites a person. Symptoms of spirillary rat bite fever vary, but are typically repetitive fever, an ulcer at the site of the bite, swelling, swollen lymph nodes and rash. These symptoms may occur one to three weeks after being bitten by an infected rat. Rats and mice are very rarely infected with rabies, and their bites are not known to transmit this disease to humans. Seek professional medical advice or attention anytime someone is bitten by an animal.

Rat Behavior

Rat Borne Diseases

Rat Diet

Rat Fleas

Rat Habitat

Rat Holes

Rat Identification

Rat Infestation

Rat or Muskrat + Differences

Rat Sense of Smell

Rat Tracks

Rat Varieties

Enemies and Predators of Rats

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How far down should you bury a 4x4 post?

Dig post hole so diameter of the hole is 3 times the width of the post (i.e., the hole for a 4” wood post should be about 12 inches wide). The depth of the hole should be 1/3-1/2 the post height above ground (i.e., a 6-foot tall fence would require a hole depth of at least 2 feet).

quikrete.com - Setting Posts without Mixing | QUIKRETE: Cement and Concrete ...

Project Instructions

Always take proper safety precautions when working with cement-based products, including wearing eye protection, nitrile gloves and a mask.

Step 1

Step 2

Add about 6 inches of QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel into the bottom of the hole. Then compact and level the gravel using a post or 2x4.

Step 3

Set the post into the hole and attach 2x4 braces to adjacent sides of the post.

Step 4

Use a level to position the post perfectly vertical.

Step 5

Fill the hole with Fast-Setting Concrete up to 3 to 4 inches below ground level.

Step 6

Pour about a gallon of water per 50 lb bag into the hole and allow the water to saturate the concrete mix.

NOTE: mix will set hard in 20 to 40 minutes

Step 7

Wait about 4 hours to begin constructing your fence or applying heavy weight to your post.

Shopping List

50 lb QUIKRETE Fast-Setting Concrete

50 lb QUIKRETE All-Purpose Gravel

Pressure treated wood post or galvanized metal post

Level

5-gallon bucket

Measuring pail

Post hole digger

Gloves

Safety glasses

(Optional)

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