Will a Rat Bite My Sleeping Infant?

One big worry parents have is the health of their child. You try everything you can to keep your baby healthy, but the risks are still there. Rat bites, though, are a risk you do not want. Rat bites are dangerous and can lead to illness and infection, and will require immediate care. If you see a rat around, you want to keep it away from you and your baby. While you can do a good job of keeping away rats when you are awake, what happens when you go to bed? Will rats bite your sleeping baby? The answer is not a definitive yes or no. It depends entirely on the situation.



Rat Bites
Rats do not bite people often. Generally, they prefer to stay away from people. They see humans as a threat, for good reason, and do what is in their best interest for survival. That does not mean they never bite, however. Rats can, and will, bite for several reasons. One common reason is if they see you as a threat or if they are afraid. In those instances, the rat will bite as a way to protect itself. This is true of any wild animal.

A sleeping baby, though, poses no threat, so why would it bite? Well, another reason for biting is food. Humans who fall asleep with food on them may fall victim to these bites. The rat will smell the food, follow it, and begin licking and biting the source. In this case, it would be the baby. Rats do carry various diseases and their bites can cause a severe infection. If you fear a rat has bitten your baby, you should take action immediately. If you fear there is a risk of rat bite, do what you can to remove that risk.

In Case of Bite
If you notice a bite on your baby and you are unsure of where it came from, or if you are sure it came from a rat, you should seek medical assistance immediately. You do not want to wait around when it comes to rat bites. They are far too dangerous to humans. Rats can bite sleeping babies, and they have done so, but it is not common. So long as your baby does not smell like food, there is a low risk of the rat biting it. If you fear this may happen, do what you can to prevent it. If it has happened, seek medical assistance.

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