Can Rats Chew Through Walls?

The short answer is yes, rats can absolutely chew through walls.

Animals falling into the rodent order share an odd characteristic: their incisors never stop growing and must be whittled down by continuously gnawing on things. As members of this order, rats are chewing machines. In addition to their chewing frequency, they also have extraordinary jaw strength.

Rats in the House

If motivated, rats will gnaw holes and squeeze their way into your house. Not only can they chomp through thinner materials like drywall, they can also make it through wood, brick, and even weak cement! Most of the time, rats don’t need to chew through anything to get inside your house. They often enter through openings in the attic, pipes, vents, or walls. Many times, they want to get inside because your home provides them with excellent living conditions: climate control, shelter from storms and predators, food, plenty of things to chew on, and space for reproducing.

Damage

Once inside, rats can cause a significant amount of damage to your home. Because they need to regulate the growth of their teeth, rats will chew on just about anything – wooden beams, walls, furniture, water pipes, and more. One of the worst things they can chew on is electrical wire, which can knock out power or cause electrical shorts.

Furthermore, their excrement can make your house unpleasant, to say the least. If the rats have been living in your home for an extended amount of time, their excrement can build up, increasing odor that can attract more rats. In addition to this, it can cause decay and bacteria growth, so it is important to get rid of the rats as soon as you notice them in your home.

Professional Assistance

Rats and the damage they cause can be a lot to handle for a homeowner inexperienced with rat tendencies. Critter Control® of Sarasota is here to help, offering the highest quality wildlife management service in the industry. We can safely and efficiently remove all the rats from your home, in addition to sealing up any entryways and cleaning any messes created by the pests. Call us today for your free consultation at 941-355-9511.