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A rat is a rodent that can be found in garbage cans, where it feeds among garbage. It happens that a rat enters flats and houses through the sewage system. Such a rat can pose a threat to he alth and even life, because it spreads many diseases, including those that can be fatal to humans. What does a wild rat look like? Can you get infected from a rat? How can I get rid of it? What is the difference between a wild rat and a breeding rat?

Ratcauses widespread fear and disgust. Rightly so, because rats are pests that, in addition, can transmit numerous diseases to humans.

Rats are to blame for, inter alia, for the outbreak of the plague in medieval Europe, which led to the death of almost 30 percent the then population of the Old Continent. Nowadays, rats can also be responsible for this and many other diseases.

Contents:

  1. Rat - what does it look like?
  2. Wild and domestic rat
  3. Lab rats
  4. Rat - what diseases does it carry?
  5. Rat - fighting. How to get rid of rats?

Rat - what does it look like?

Wandering rat - its head and body reach 20-30 cm, and the tail - 15-23 cm. Males tend to be larger than females. Initially, these rats lived in forests and bushy areas. They also inhabited the banks of streams and wetlands. However, with the development of agriculture, migratory rats are found where humans are. They live in fields, meadows, canals and buildings. Migratory rats are omnivorous and therefore considered pests. Rats can squeeze through the smallest nooks and crannies or climb to great heights (they can get from one building to another in airborne ducts or over tree branches that touch a building). can get into the house through sewer pipes. Rats can leave the toilets not only in single-family houses or in the so-called low ground floors of buildings, but even from the toilets on the 10th floor of the block.

The most widespread species of rats include the brown rat and the migratory rat, which are also abundant in Poland.

Swarthy rat - it is slightly smaller than a migratory rat. The length of the body is 16-23 cm, and the tail is18-25 cm. Its coloration is variable: the back is gray, through brown, to black, and the bottom is a bit lighter. It has larger ears and a longer tail than a brown rat. It probably comes from Southeast Asia, and is also found in Poland in the wetlands of the Oder and some B altic ports, but not as numerous as the migratory rat, by which it is slowly being driven out. It also lives in areas inhabited by people: mainly houses, attics, warehouses, sheds, attics, halls and farm buildings. He can climb walls and also causes great economic damage. Polynesian rat (also known as the Pacific rat) - inhabits the areas of Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. It resembles other rats (e.g. migratory or swarthy rats). It has large, round ears, a pointed snout and a black and brown color with a lighter underside. However, it is distinguished by the dark part of the hind legs around the ankle. The length of the Polynesian rat including the tail is up to 15 cm, which is much smaller than its predecessors. This is due to the fact that individuals living further from the equator are larger than rats living in warm climates.

See the gallery of 8 photos

Wild and domestic rat

Domestic rats intended for breeding differ from wild rats in color. Wild rats usually come in shades of gray, brown, or black. Cultured ones can be found in many colors: from white, gray, black, blue, brown through spotted and even albinos. They can also differ in the structure of the hair. The domestic rat variety lives half as long as wild rats, 3 years. Like other domesticated rodents, breeding rats can be kept in special cages with appropriate equipment. Rats need a lot of exercise, so give them a cage of the right size. It can be equipped with toys intended for these animals (e.g. pipes, hammocks, tunnels). When deciding on a reel, remember that it should not be smaller than 30 cm in diameter to prevent damage to the rat's spine and it must be without rungs to avoid its paws or tail getting caught. These intelligent creatures can also be tamed. In addition to moving in a cage, rats can be taught to move around a person and to have close contact with their handler.

Worth knowing

Laboratory ratsThe laboratory rat is descended from a migratory rat. Genetically, it is 90 percent. human-like. Therefore, for hundreds of years, laboratory rats have been used for various types of tests. Currently, they are carried out before the implementation of the new drugresearch remains, among others just on these rodents. They contributed to the development of many fields of medicine, incl. immunology, pharmacology, oncology and cytogenetics.

Rat - what diseases does it carry?

When rats encounter a human, they usually run away. However, if a human finds them in a place from which they cannot escape, they can feel threatened and defend themselves by attacking. Then they can bite a person and transfer to him such diseases as:

  • plague
  • typhoid

In addition, rats are parasitic by lice and fleas, which can transmit many diseases that threaten human he alth and life.

  • trichinosis
  • leptospirosis
  • tularemia
  • salmonella
  • rabies
  • rat bite disease (rat bite fever, rat fever) - the cause of the disease is an infection with quite an unusual microorganism - Streptobacillus moniliformis.

It is worth emphasizing that the infection can occur not only through a rat bite. Rat urine and faeces can also be a source of infection. It can also occur in the digestive tract through consumption of food and water previously contaminated by rats.

  • Brucellosis - an animal-borne disease
  • Cat scratch disease after scratching or biting a cat
  • Leptospirosis - zoonotic disease caused by water pollution
  • Typhus (typhus, rash typhus) - a disease transmitted by lice and fleas

Rat - fighting. How to get rid of rats?

Over the years, rats have learned to feed among humans. All because, instead of providing food for themselves, as agriculture and economy develop, they steal human supplies, crops, etc. Although rats in the field do not seem so threatening, the vision of a large rodent at home can turn out to be scary, fortunately there are ways to get rid of them. The methods of exterminating rats are special ultrasounds, poisons and paws. Rats, however, are intelligent animals and can sense the danger that threatens them, which is why these methods may fail over time, because rats in the world are simply able to outsmart humans. In this case, the best solution is to call a rodent eradication company. In order to avoid the unpleasantness associated with uninvited tenants, it is worth securing the house or apartment as much as possible. Remember to carefully seal any kind of holes or ventilation. Rats usually appear where there is a ford and access to food, so it should be whenever possiblekeep the house and yard clean.

About the authorWeronika RumińskaA graduate of Polish philology with an editorial and publishing specialization at the University of Warsaw. She developed her interests related to the editor's work already during her master's studies, actively cooperating with Poradnikzdrowie.pl on the editorial path and social media. Privately, a lover of good crime fiction and horse riding.

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