Pests can enter homes in different ways. A majority enter your property through small cracks, crevices, or holes. However, certain practices can contribute to a home’s susceptibility to pest infestation. One way a home can become a breeding ground for critters is hoarding.
A hoarder’s pest problem is a reality that haunts several households around the globe. Here’s what you need to know about the issue.
What Is Compulsive Hoarding?
The American Psychiatric Association describes compulsive hoarding as a disorder characterized by the relentless need to save items and the difficulties of getting rid of acquired possessions. Any attempt to part with these items leads to distress and results in unmanageable clutter. In extreme cases, the home becomes difficult — and even dangerous — to live in.
Hoarding and buying unnecessary things should not be confused with collecting. Collectors acquire things in an organized, targeted, and intentional manner. After obtaining the items, they are organized and displayed for others to admire. On the other hand, compulsive hoarding is the impulse to acquire things with little to no planning, theme, and organization, which leads to clutter.
Individuals with compulsive hoarding tendencies can seek professional help and therapy to address the problem. This fondness for buying things is often associated with depression, anxiety, and other emotional issues. It becomes an escape for them to acquire items (no matter how worthless) to fill a void inside.
The Relationship Between Hoarding and Pest Invasion
As a disorder, hoarding can have serious implications on relationships, social and work activities, and the daily functioning of individuals. There can also be consequences including health and safety, fire hazards, tripping hazards, and health code violations. Clutter is one of the easiest ways a home can become infested with pests like rats, flies, cockroaches, and even snakes.
Hoarding situations create a significant pest frenzy not only for the hoarder’s home but for neighbours as well. At this point, the help of an exterminator becomes a necessity. Otherwise, everyone will have to deal with the problem for a longer period of time.
Common Pests in Hoarders’ Homes
Different hoarding situations can attract different pests. Below are some of the more common hoarders pests you can find in cluttered homes:
- Rodents
Rodents are destructive. They can spread diseases, destroy properties, and contaminate food. How these animals manage to enter a property depends on different factors. They can move to new areas after a disaster. They will take time to regroup, reorganize their social behaviour, and become familiar with the new environment. They prefer areas with easy access to food and water and are conducive to reproduction.
- Cockroaches
Cockroaches are a nuisance. They are known carriers of various diseases, can cause allergic reactions, and trigger asthma attacks.
According to the University of Minnesota Extension, a single egg case can contain between 16 to 50 eggs. These will hatch to become nymphs and can grow into adult roaches. They are extremely resilient and can survive a nuclear war so getting rid of them can be a huge challenge.
The best thing to do is to block access in the first place. Households can use covers that can prevent these pests from contaminating food and utensils
- Bed Bugs
Bed bugs, unlike other pests on this list, do not transmit diseases but they are categorized as external parasites that suck the blood of hosts. Their bite itches and can result in a lack of sleep since they are most active at night.
They multiply easily and are extremely good at hiding. You’ll find them in mattresses, baseboards, wallpapers, picture frames, drawers, floorboards, and tiny cracks in walls. Because of this, they are especially difficult to control.
- Fleas
Hoarders’ homes can also be a haven for fleas if they have pets living with them. Fleas latch on not only to dogs and cats but people as well. Aside from the irritation and itching, they can also transmit tapeworms and bacterial infections.
Like bed bugs, they can breed in the smallest crevices and cracks. There have been studies that show how they can remain dormant (i.e. not feeding or breeding) for months on end until they find a host.
- Mosquitoes
Mosquitoes are flying insects that live in most parts of the planet. There are more than 3,500 types found worldwide. Contrary to popular belief, only the female of the species bites people or animals. Their bites will sting and can cause itching and swelling. There are some of them who can carry diseases like dengue and malaria.
- Snakes
Snakes typically avoid people. They are not always the fearsome creatures that people think. A majority of snakes are non-venomous and they can be beneficial to humans because they eat insects, mice, slugs, grubs, and other pests. However, finding them at home is still not a welcome surprise. They love to breed in dark and cramped spaces which means a cluttered house is the ideal location.
Insect Control Plan
How pest infestation affects human health is a primary concern when it comes to a severely cluttered home. A hoarding situation may pose a challenge to pest control companies because of the mess and the possibility of having more than one pest to get rid of.
The clutter has first to be removed before the pest control company can begin dealing with any type of infestation. However, the challenge doesn’t end there. The compulsive hoarding should also be addressed by the homeowners through therapy so it will not happen again in the future.
Compulsive hoarding behaviour doesn’t only result in an unorganized and messy home. It can introduce various hazards and attract pests of all kinds because of the food and nesting potential it offers them. If you know someone with a hoarding problem who needs pest control immediately, call Pro Pest at 416-487-4179. We will handle any pest infestation for you.
