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18 Fun Facts About Rats (Smart, Ticklish and Not Welcome)

Rats are smart, social and surprisingly athletic. Scientists love them. Homeowners, less so. Here’s the good, the weird and the “please seal your foundation.”

The fun facts

1. Rats laugh when tickled. Researchers found rats make happy ultrasonic chirps when tickled. Please don’t test this at home.
2. Rats can’t throw up. Which is one reason they’re careful about new foods.
3. They’re suspicious of new things. Pros call it neophobia — rats avoid new objects (like traps) at first.
4. A quarter-sized hole is enough. About ½ inch for a young rat.
5. They’re strong swimmers. And yes, in rare cases they can come up through drain pipes.
6. They’re excellent climbers. Pipes, rough walls, trees, wires.
7. Their teeth never stop growing. They gnaw wood, plastic, wires and even soft concrete and thin metal.
8. NJ has mostly Norway rats. Also called brown rats — big, burrowing, ground-level rats.
9. They dig burrow networks. Look for holes along foundations, under sheds, decks and slabs.
10. They use the same paths. Leaving dark greasy rub marks along walls.
11. Rats are social. They live in groups and even groom each other.
12. They eat almost anything. Garbage, pet food, bird seed, compost, fruit, dog waste. Gross but true.
13. Bird feeders feed rats. Spilled seed is a rat buffet.
14. They’re mostly nocturnal. Rats in daylight can mean a large population.
15. Rats need water daily. Unlike mice, they like to drink regularly.
16. Their tails help balance and cool them. The tail is a built-in radiator.
17. Rain moves rats. Flooded burrows push them up — see does rain bring out rats?.
18. Rat vs. mouse is easy once you know. See rats vs. mice: how to tell.

Getting rid of them: how to get rid of rats permanently · what keeps rats away

Watch: Silver Bullet mice & rat work

What to look for

More about rats

• Does Rain Bring Out Rats??
• What Keeps Rats Away??
• Rats vs. Mice: How to Tell Who's Living in Your Walls
• All pest questions, answered

Fun facts about other pests

• 21 Fun Facts About Ants
• 20 Fun Facts About Squirrels
• 20 Fun Facts About Bees and Wasps
• 20 Fun Facts About Mice
• 18 Fun Facts About Cockroaches
• Waterbug vs. Cockroach: Fun Facts

Common questions

Schedule today

Call 973-510-2585, text us or request a free quote online. Silver Bullet Pest Control is licensed and insured in New Jersey.