Rats can squeeze through gaps as little as 13mm wide and are good climbers. They tend to prefer burrows, but will take up residence in walls, ceilings – in fact any area that provides a “burrow-like” environment. This is why they often live along waterways. Rats require water to drink, more so when they are eating dry foods. In short, rodents are well down the list in popularity contests. Then there are mites, ticks, lice, internal parasites, and fleas – the latter being the vector that transferred the plague from rats to people. Rats and mice are known to carry salmonellosis, leptospirosis, trichinosis, and, in some parts of the world, rabies. In the 1600s about 25 million people died from bubonic plague carried by rats. Then, of course, there is their ability to carry disease. There’s also a pretty good chance they’ll have a fair old chew on winter covers and saddle blankets.
Some fire authorities believe up to a quarter of all blazes for which a cause could not be established may have been started by vermin. They can take out your electricity and even cause fires by chewing on power cables. Not only that, but they are likely to chew on your buildings and do damage. If you’re wondering how big the problem is, the US Department of Agriculture estimates more than $US2 billion in feed is destroyed by rodents each year. A rodent is likely to ruin 10 times as much food as it eats, by contaminating it with their urine, droppings, and fur.
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