Miami Makes Orkin's Top 10 List For Rats

FT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) - South Florida is known for its sun, fun and surf. Now you can add one more item to that list.

Rats.

Orkin, one of the nation's largest pest control companies, has released their "Top 20 Rattiest Cities" list based on the number of rodent treatments they performed last year and South Florida made the list.

Coming in at number one was Chicago, followed by Los Angeles, Washington D.C., New York and San Francisdo.

Rounding out the top 10 was Seattle at six then Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore and then the Miami-Fort Lauderdale area.

Others on the list include Dallas, Atlanta, Boston and Minneapolis-St. Paul.

Orkin says each fall, rats and mice invade an estimated 21 million American homes. It only takes a hole the size of a quarter for a rat to squeeze inside and a hole the size of a dime for mice.

The pest control company said rodents are more than a nuisance; they also pose severe health threats. They can carry hundreds of pathogens that spread through their urine, droppings and bites. They are known carriers of deadly neurological and respiratory diseases like lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) and Hantavirus Pulmonary Syndrome.

According to a 2013 Orkin survey, one-third of Americans saw a rodent in their home in the last year. Rodents eat between 15 and 20 times a day, so nearly 40 percent of homeowners saw rodents for the first time in kitchens.

To keep the furry invaders out of your home, Orkin recommends sealing all cracks and gaps around holes where utilities enter the home if they are larger than ¼ of an inch.  Also, install weather stripping at the bottom of exterior doors.

Trim overgrown branches, plants and bushes near the home, and consider keeping a 2-foot barrier between any landscaping and the home.

Store all food (including pet food) and garbage properly in sealed containers both indoors and outdoors.

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