Roof rats like to eat fruit and nuts and they will eat pretty much about anything. Silly fact about roof rats, they love chocolate! Other than fruits, nuts and the occasional chocolate bar, rats will chew on electrical wiring, insulation, walls, furniture, tree bark, meat, grains, pet food, food in pantries. Did we mention they’ll eat just about anything? Rats have been know to get into cars and chew on the electrical wiring. Some car manufacturers will use peanut oil on the wiring in order to work it through tight spaces of your car. This actually happens a lot more than people think. They will get in anywhere! Rats have a great sense of smell!
Interesting Facts about Roof Rats:
- Rats are very lovable creatures. They love being together with other rats, and will actually get depressed if they don’t have any rat buddies to hang out with. They really love humans too…yikes!
- While a lot of people put cheese on traps to catch rats, they actually really love peanut butter and chocolate. The peanut butter is so sticky that they end up getting caught in the traps.
- Romans considered rats to be a sign of good luck, so if you have found yourself in unfortunate situations lately, pick ya’ up a rat and snuggle with it.
- Rats have been proven to make a laughing noise when they are tickled, or when they dream, however humans can’t hear it alone.
- Rats’ teeth are so strong that they can chew through glass, cinder block, wire, aluminum and lead. Again, no place in your home is safe unless your home is sealed properly.
Diseases Carried by Rats
- Bubonic plague (historically)
- Hemorrhagic fever
- Leptospirosis (which is extremely dangerous for house pets)
- Murine typhus
- Rat-bite fever
- Salmonella
- Tapeworms
- Hanta Virus (common)
- Typhoid