[NewRomeTacitus]

The rats carry the fleas who carry the bacteria...and fleas gravitate to any warm-blooded creature of opportunity. One set of foster parents I had owned the house next door and rented it to anyone willing to pay the rent. One family collected dogs without seeing to their hygiene. When the family moved out the fleas were so thick that I had to hop around in a Hefty sack while trying to repair the damage they left, unnerved by the constant sound of the fleas bouncing off the bag. Those sumbitches survived over two months without easy sources of blood ("dad" refused to pay for a bug bomb).

Is Burbank still the rat capital of the United States? I've read creepy articles about huge swarms of them in odd locations there and the continuing failure to reduce their numbers despite a wide range of tactics.

[bd476]

Fleas are California's State bird when it comes to owning outdoor pets.

The best, cheapest and least toxic method for getting rid of fleas is sprinkling all over the floor, leaving it in place for 24 hours, then vaccuuming it up and repeating the procedure several times a week until the fleas are completely gone. It is considered safe for carpet and most upholstery.

[bd476]

NewRomeTacitus, I hope you don't mind my barging into your discussion with BurbankKarl.

There are date/palm tree rats which live in trees all over Los Angeles. Generally a date/palm tree rat's behavior is different than city rats which live everywhere else in L.A.

Date/palm tree rats usually enter homes in the winter or during rainy seasons. They come in through tiny openings, through a roof or vent, after climbing trees, crossing phone and electrical wires. They enter the home by chewing through plaster board and wood making the openings larger.

The date palm tree rats will run if you stamp your feet or make loud noises. They scurry like mice, showing much more fear of humans than typical city rats.

City rats are more aggressive. Even baby city rats will stand their ground staring at you with their beady eyes.

Both date/palm tree rats and city rats are dangerous because of the fleas. Still, if I had to encounter a rat, my preference would be the kind which live in trees.

[NotJustAnotherPrettyFace]

Your story is similar to one my dad told me. He's a locksmith and had to change the locks on a house that had been re-po'd by the bank. The cops had to be there with him when he jimmied the locks and they were all covered in fleas afterwards. He said it was absolutely horrible.

Bug bombs by comparison to ER hospital bills (for the plague) or doctor office visits are a LOT cheaper! ;-)