Rats, which are broadly categorised as rodents, are pests that are becoming more prevalent because of their rapid growth. One unique fact about rats is that their front incisor teeth never stop growing. To adapt to their always-growing front two teeth, they are constantly chewing and gnawing on items near them to wear down their teeth. If they do not gnaw on things continuously, their front incisors will overgrow, making it impossible for the rat to close its mouth or eat. This could eventually leads to the rat’s death.
In their need to keep gnawing, rats often end up wreaking havoc on people’s houses, which is one reason why they are considered pests.
What can rats chew through?
Rats are capable of chewing through anything that is not harder than their teeth. But how are you able to tell what is hard and what isn’t in relation to a rat’s teeth? In 1812, a German mineralogist named Friedrich Mohs developed a scale that is now commonly known as the Mohs Scale. This scale was devised to measure the hardness of minerals and gemstones. The ranking was based on how well a harder material can scratch a softer material.
The Mohs scale goes from 1 to 10. The softest on the scale, Talc, ranks at number 1, while the hardest on the scale, diamonds, rank at number 10. What’s surprising is that the teeth of a rat ranks at a shocking 5.5 on this scale, making it tougher than copper and even iron. In comparison, the enamel of human teeth ranks at 5 on the Mohs Scale.
With such sturdy teeth and jaws, rats are able to chew on almost anything that humans use in their homes. These things include plastic, wood, aluminum, lead, brick, and even cement, among others.
What makes rats annoying pests to deal with?
Unfortunately, having strong teeth and gnawing on household items are not the only aspect that makes rats annoying pests. They are also quite resilient in nature, which makes them more challenging to eliminate. For instance, they can fall from a height of about fifty feet and not get injured.
Additionally, a majority of rats are able to swim. What is impressive is that they can stay afloat while treading water for up to three days without drowning. Moreover, rats breed at exceedingly high rates. It only takes two rats to populate an area to produce virtually uncountable rats. Hence, they are one group of pests that are extremely hard to contain and control without professional pest control help.
Conclusion
With these destructive rats multiplying rapidly in your household or office, they might seem invincible. However, they can be managed using various effective contemporary pest control methods. The best strategy to prevent them from invading your house is by maintaining proper hygiene and sealing off potential entry points.
