Rats can cause damage and transmit diseases

Risks of damage & disease from a rat infestation

MATERIAL AND GOODS DAMAGE CAUSED BY RATS

Gnawing damage: rats have very hard teeth that they have to sharpen constantly to keep them short. They do this on a wide variety of materials such as concrete, aluminum, plastic, glass, thick electrical harnesses, wood, paper, cardboard, insulation, and more.
Serious gnawing damage can have fatal consequences such as unsafe work situations, power failure, fire due to short circuit, broken appliances, machines or vehicles, production stops, holes in your roof or ventilation system, and more.
Bad smell: urine gives off a strong ammonia smell that can also affect breathing.
Smear marks (belly fat) on walls and material where they walk.
Torn material and broken packaging: they easily tear any soft material to use it when building their nests. Stored food or products are damaged as a result and can no longer be sold to customers.
Contamination of material and goods with rats feces and urine can cause huge financial loss.
Damage to personal belongings: Rats can gnaw on personal belongings like clothing, upholstery, furniture, and books, causing damage and loss of property.

Health risks and diseases that rats transmit

Rats are responsible for zoonoses, diseases that are transmitted from animals to humans. Some of them being salmonella, Weil's disease, e. Coli, tuberculosis, rabies, tapeworm, typhoid, trichinosis, etc.
Rodents can transmit these diseases in a number of ways:
- by biting
- contamination of our food with faeces or urine
- by direct contact with faeces or urine
- indirectly via a dog, cat or blood-sucking insects
- indirectly through bathing in or drinking contaminated water

Rats are often also carriers of parasites or other pests such as fleas, mites and ticks that can also be annoying or dangerous for humans. They provoke itching, allergic reactions or can even cause Lyme disease.

The two most common types of rats

The Sewer Rat

It’s a very social animal and lives together in large groups. As the population grows, the structures expand and connect with other shelters, creating a network of corridors. They can be found:

in underground holes in the yard
in warehouses
around waterways
in sewers
outdoor sheds
around chicken coops
in crawl spaces and basements
attics
in/around recycling parks
livestock farms
around storage areas or production halls for animal feed
in or near meat processing industrial halls

The Roof Rat

Roof rats prefer high and dry places to build their nests (e.g. under the roof, in the attic or in insulation spaces). These rodents are more commonly found inside the buildings. They like to build their nests:

in attics
under the roof
in garages
in wall cavities
in insulation wool or insulation panels
in the ceiling or floor
in crawl spaces or basements
behind kitchen furniture or behind pantries
in storage areas and behind/between racks

Risks for infrastructural systems and agricultural industry

The less common types of rats such as voles and muskrats can destroy agricultural crops and undermine roadsides, dikes and canals. Due to their excavation work, these structures can silt up or break open.
The underground tunnels dug by rats can cause instability or collapse in the case of large networks.
Sewer and roof rats can also damage agricultural crops and their burrowing activities may impact drainage systems or irrigation infrastructure.

Other risks associated with the presence of rats

Emotional distress: Many people are afraid of rats (rat phobia) and that feeling is reinforced as soon as rats are in close proximity. This can cause stress and insomnia.
Shame: Most people are ashamed of the presence of rats in their home or neighborhood since they are often linked to poor hygiene conditions.
Unsafe workplace: Rats create an unpleasant and unsafe working environment for your employees.

FAQ about rats

What is the size of a rat?
An adult sewer rat is 20 to 30 cm long with a tail that is almost as long as the body. She weighs 100 - 500gr. A black rat is approx. 15 to 24 cm long with an even longer tail (up to 130%).
What is the appearance of rat droppings?
Rat droppings are banana shaped and dark brown. Sewer rats: +- 2 cm long, looks less rounded and shorter than those of black rats: +-1 cm long. If the rat poop is soft or shiny, this indicates an active infestation.
How fast do rats reproduce?
A female rat can have multiple litters in a year, ranging from 4-12. Each litter can consist of 6-12+ pups, but the average is 8. Given these reproductive characteristics, a pair of rats can potentially produce hundreds of offspring within a year if left unchecked.
What do rats consume and how much?
Sewer rats feed on both vegetable and animal food (rich in protein & starch), such as meat, grain, seeds, snails, larvae, bird eggs,... The roof rat mainly eats vegetable food. A rat eats 20-25 gr./day.
Is it possible to have rats as pets?
Yes, there are approximately 65 species of rats in total, and some of them can indeed be kept as domestic pets. These rodents are known for their high intelligence and social nature, allowing them to form close bonds with their owners and be trained. It's important to note that attempting to domesticate a wild rat is not recommended, as they have different behaviors and may carry diseases.
Where do rats hide during daytime?
Rats are nocturnal rodents and tend to rest or find shelter during the day, often within their burrows, which they construct underground or in concealed spaces like wall crevices and ceilings. However, when food is in short supply, they may venture out during daylight hours.
Are rats dangerous?
Rats are mainly active at night and prefer to avoid people. They typically won't initiate attacks on humans unless they feel trapped or threatened. However, the real risk lies in the damage they cause through their gnawing and their urine and feces, which can contaminate food, water, and various surfaces, leading to the spread of diseases.
How can you identify the presence of a rat infestation?
You can identify a rat infestation if you find feces, brown/black smear marks on walls, gnawing damage to stock, material or infrastructure, torn soft materials, odor nuisance or hear nightly scribbling.
Could rats potentially initiate a fire or trigger a short circuit?
Yes, because rats gnaw on materials they come across when exploring their environment, the insulation around electrical cables can be eaten, resulting in a short circuit and fire.
Do rats go away by themselves?
Rats do not typically go away by themselves once they've established a presence in an area. They tend to stay and reproduce as long as they have a source of food, water, and shelter.

Rats can cause damage and transmit diseases

Risks of damage & disease from a rat infestation

MATERIAL AND GOODS DAMAGE CAUSED BY RATS

Health risks and diseases that rats transmit

Risks for infrastructural systems and agricultural industry

Other risks associated with the presence of rats

Bed Bugs

Birds

Cockroaches

Termites

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