Talkback #TalkBack: Don’t pick up a rat!
Feb 24, 2026
Bernard Chan, Operations General Manager at Anticimex, a pest control expert, discusses a viral Lucky Plaza rat incident. He warns against handling live rats and explains why trained tools and reporting matter. He covers health risks like leptospirosis, why rats bite when trapped, and how rats behave around people and food.
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Viral Lucky Plaza Clip Sparks Safety Debate
- A viral video showed a man at Lucky Plaza casually placing a cloth over a rat and picking it up, sparking debate about safety.
- Daniel Martin described the clip and asked whether that approach was wise or dangerous when handling rats.
Do Not Handle Live Rats Yourself
- Avoid handling live rats yourself because they can bite and directly or indirectly transmit diseases.
- Bernard Chan warns that cloth or bare hands don’t prevent bites or exposure to vectors like rat fleas, so leave capture to trained professionals.
Rats Carry Disease And Rat Fleas
- Rats are public health vectors that can transmit diseases like leptospirosis and carry rat fleas that bite humans.
- Bernard Chan highlights rat fleas living on rats as an indirect disease route beyond direct bites and common rodent illnesses.