Facts about rats

Aside from being a menacing sight and a general nuisance, rats are well known to be carriers of disease. Over the years they have spread such horrible diseases as the bubonic plague and typhus. Here are some more facts about rats that will make you want to be sure you don’t have them in your house or workplace.

They have some very unique physical attributes

Rats’ teeth never stop growing. They have to gnaw on things constantly to keep their teeth from becoming so long they cannot eat. They have been known to chew through things as strong as cinder blocks and concrete. Imagine the damage that they can do on things like wood or drywall. Their tails are also very unique because aside from helping them maintain their balance, their tails also help to keep them cool.They expand and contract the blood vessels in their tails to help regulate their temperature because they don’t perspire.

Rats are very social

Rats typically congregate in big groups and share dens with dozens of other rats. While they often act like a big happy family, they are still territorial and will be aggressive towards unfamiliar rats who try to join the group. The fact that finding one rat usually means that their are dozens more is one of the main reasons it is so important to call a professional pest control service immediately if you see traces of rats.

They multiply rapidly

It is fairly well known that rats are prolific breeders. This presents another problem as a few rats can become a few dozen rats fairly quickly. A litter of rats usually contains somewhere between six and ten babies, and an adult female can have another litter roughly every three weeks. Some litters have been known to be as large as twenty. The newborn rats will be able to reproduce within three to four months, which only adds to how quickly a rat pack can exponentially multiply.

Size and species

There are actually 56 known species of rats, with the most common being the Norway or Brown Rat, the Pack Rat, and the Black Rat. Some of the species can be much bigger than the ones you might see nosing around garbage cans in the city. The Sumatran Bamboo Rat can grow to be over twenty inches in length and weigh almost 9 pounds!

Because rats are so destructive and are known to spread disease, it is important to use a professional pest control company to mitigate any rat infestations that you may come across. Protect your property and your health by trusting the experts to exterminate these dangerous pests.