It’s hard to pinpoint the reason why most people really have a problem with rats. If you think about it, you probably won’t be able to remember any single incident you’ve experienced with one where they haven’t scared the living hell out of you. It definitely wasn’t Tom and Jerry either, because let’s face it, Jerry was a lot nicer and cuter. So, why is it we hate rats and fear them? Perhaps because we’ve been led to believe they’re disease carrying rodents and that they can hurt you and your family if they infest your home. Or maybe we just don’t like having tiny, hard-to-catch creatures running around the house, eating away our food and belongings. If you think this article was going in the direction that you should welcome rats with open arms, you’re mistaken. This is actually about why rats are even way scarier than you think.
You’re never safe
What’s the scariest thing about a horror movie monster? Probably the fact that you can’t keep them out, no matter what you do, that and the fact that they’ll probably kill you. While rats aren’t very likely to take your life, you certainly can’t keep those sneaky fellas out. They’re pretty smart, and they almost always find a way to get into your house, no matter how safe you think you are. Whether it’s through toilets, vents, or even your walls, they find a way. Believe it or not, rats can lift weights up to a pound to get to places, and even worse, they can also squeeze their bodies to maneuver through tiny holes and openings. Did we mention they’re pretty good swimmers, too? So, yeah, might want to leave that toilet seat down!
They can’t stop chewing
One of the most basic tells that you have a rat in your dwellings is finding chewed belongings. Why do rats chew on everything they find? Well, they can’t stop, that’s why. Throughout their relatively short lifespans, rats’ teeth are in an everlasting state of growth, which means they cannot stop chewing things, whether that is to keep them healthy and sharp, or to just survive that constant growth. In other words, if rats don’t chew, they’ll die because their teeth might just grow into their own brains. Why is that bad news for you? Alas, rats can chew through pretty much anything, including but not limited to concrete, cement, wires, brick, and others. And that brings us to point number one: you’re never safe.
You can’t easily get rid of them
If none of that got to you, then perhaps the fact that they’re extremely difficult to get rid of will. Rats are pretty smart for a creature of that size, and they somehow manage to find a way around getting killed. The best way to get rid of rats will vary according to what kind you’re dealing with, because each breed requires a different approach to handling the problem. It’s always best if you call professionals to help you with your not so little problem, because chances are the rat you’re hosting against your will can find its way out of your traps and poison.
Disease
Ever heard of the bubonic plague, also commonly known as ‘black death,’ or that pandemic that nearly wiped out Europe? Well, guess who were the carriers of that disease? Yes, rats. Unfortunately, those tiny little creatures have a thing for carrying and spreading disease, but thanks to medical advancements, the threat of disease transferring from them to humans is much less severe these days. But they’re still carriers, and that’s always something to be wary of.
Exponential growth
If you see one or two ants around your place, it’s not really a big problem. But if you see an ant colony, it’s a disaster and it’s something that scares a lot of people, despite the fact that they’re harmless for the most part. Now imagine the same scenario, but for rats, and you’d get the full picture. You might also want to know the fact that rats multiply at terrifying rates; just two rats can spawn up to 6,000 babies within a couple of years, and that is one daunting thought. Did we mention that those babies can start breeding themselves within a couple of months of their birth? Yeah, you get the full picture. The statistics are quite alarming when it comes to the number of rats in the world, and it’s believed that most major cities have one rat per person percentage.
Some are huge
As if all the above wasn’t scary enough, some rats also have the ability to grow up to the size of a house cat in certain breeds. Some weigh over four pounds and are quite tall for a rat, and their size alone could probably push you to move out of the house.
Can’t see or find them
Now, of all the things that are scary about rats, perhaps the fact that you can’t find or see them is the most terrifying. You just know that they are there, and you know they’re with you in the house, but you can’t see or find them anywhere. They’re extremely good when it comes to staying hidden, and it’s practically impossible for you to find out where they’re hiding. It’s not like Tom and Jerry, unfortunately, where the mouse has a known hideout where it sleeps and eats. In real life, their whereabouts are unknown, and unless you or the pest control somehow managed to lure them into a trap, chances are you’re going to have a very hard time locating it.
Truth is, you should be scared of rats for a ton of reasons. They’re unclean, dangerous, sneaky, and very hard to kill. Did you know that there is even a mutated breed of rats that is basically immune to all sorts of poison? If that isn’t quite terrifying, then God knows what is. The bottom line is, be careful around them, and do your best to take care of the problem, early on, because other than breeding, some rats also bite, humans!
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