Most people downright hate rats. They are creepy, they are dirty, they are nasty, and they invade our homes. However, you might not be aware why rats are one of the most dangerous pests that you can have in the home, and in this article, we’re going to cover just that.
Rats carry diseases
Rats carry dozens of diseases, including the plague, and they are able to spread them in numerous ways, both directly and indirectly. They can spread diseases through their droppings and urine, through direct contact, through the parasites that they carry, and through their bites and scratches.
Rats damage the home
Rats need to gnaw constantly because their teeth never stop growing, and since they set up inside the walls of the home, they will gnaw on whatever materials they find in there. This can mean that they will damage the insulation of the home, or that they will chew through electrical wires. If given enough time, they can do some major damage to the home, and increase the risk of an electrical fire.
Rats are smart
Rats have the ability to remember locations and map out areas, which allows them to find the safest routes from their nests to food sources, and even consider alternative options when scurrying around. This makes trapping and poisoning rats much harder, and exclusion efforts need to be on point.
Rats are very agile
Rats are one of the most acrobatic animals out there. They can walk on power lines, climb vertical surfaces, and survive 50-foot falls without sustaining any major injuries. This allows them to enter the home in numerous ways, and it’s the main reason why you have to make sure that all the cracks and gaps in the home are sealed.
Rats reproduce very fast
A female rat reaches sexual maturity in just over a month, and after that, it is capable of giving birth to six litters every year, with one litter ranging from 5 to 10 baby rats. If we do the math on that, we find that two rats can grow to a population of 1,250 in one year. Of course, this would be in an ideal survival situation, but it’s not uncommon for a few rats to turn into dozens in a very short period of time.
Because of these factors, dealing with a rat infestation as soon as you see the first signs is essential. Contact us today if you have a rat infestation that needs to be removed.
