When people often think of rats, their thoughts are not always positive. Some speculated that rising rat population in New York City, Washington, DC, and Houston were indications of an upcoming “ratpocalypse.” This was written about in Newsweek in 2017. Fearing damage from animals, the mere sight of the unwanted rodents leaves many calling for help from the local animal and rodent removal company.
- Not everyone feels this was about rats. People all over the United States have opened their homes and keep them as pets. Here are some fun facts about the rodents:
- Some rat videos rival cat videos for popularity. In 2015, the now famous video of a rat dragging a slice of pizza into the subway went viral. In three years “Pizza Rat” had been viewed about 10.4 million times.
- Rats have a great sense of humor. While it is impossible to tell what they are laughing at, during play or when they seem to happy, they make a happy noise that sounds a lot like laughter.
- Experts at the local animal and rodent removal company say rats need glasses. Their vision is so bad that they have to rely on their whiskers to see for them.
- On the flip side, rats have a great sense of balance. This is thanks to their awesome tails. Their tails also help them climb very well.
- It may be counterintuitive but rats are very clean creatures. They are associated with dirty things such as fleas and the spread of the plague experts have reported they are actually cleaner than cats.
- Despite their proclivity for pizza, rats really should not eat it. A better diet is one made up of veggies and fruit. It is ok to give them tiny bits of chocolate if this only happens on special occasions.
- Rats have been to space. They love to go adventuring. They were some of the first animals shot into space. They also love to swim. Watch out, Michael Phelps! They are great at it.
- Rats love company! They are very social animals so for people who want to have one, getting two is better than getting one. If you get two, be careful. They also breed quickly. It has been estimated that, given the right environment, two rats can churn out a rat population of about 482 million in a mere three years. If that happens, you would have to definitely call the local animal and rodent removal company.
- Rats can save lives. One breed, the Giant African rat, are often used to seek out landmines. They are bigger than the rats people keep as pets. They are still small enough to sniff out the mines without causing them to trigger the landmines.
- Rats are smart. They are capable of learning their names. They are also able to learn tricks if you work with them. Maybe that is from getting through all those mazes to get that cheese.
- Rats love to cuddle. Just like Fluffy and Fido, these little creatures love to get up close and personal. They like to hang out on people’s shoulders and hide out in their hair.
- Rats love to nap. We all know that about cats, who can spend about 80% of their days sleeping but the same can be said of rats. So if yours sleeps a lot, they are not sad. They are just doing what they like to do.
- What is a group of rats called? A mischief! That is not nearly as scary as a “murder” of crows! That describes their fun and curious nature. By the way, male are called bucks and females are called does.
While keeping rats as pets is totally safe and can be a lot of fun, when rats, mice, and squirrels get into your attic or wall, it is better to call the professional rodent removal people. The local animal and rodent removal company will tell you that once they get into a home, they can wreak havoc on the insulation, wiring, and other areas of the home. Moreover, pet rats generally get their shots and vet care, feral rats do not. The latter can spread disease and can be dangerous. The good news is that there are many experts around the nation who can help get any unwanted rodents out of your home.
