Rats are fascinating animals, but they don’t belong inside your house. Whether you’re currently in need of rat removal in Newmarket or want to prevent the critters from entering your home in the first place, Skedaddle provides humane and professional solutions. Read on for some fun facts about rats and some not-so-fun information about the problems they can cause.

Why Do Rats Have Tails?

Those long, skinny, hairless tails are useful to rats in several different ways. Rats owe much of their dexterity to their tails, which can also be used to fend off predators and, perhaps most surprisingly, regulate their body temperature.

A rat’s tail helps keep the animal balanced. When a rat is perched on a narrow surface such as a fence top or wire, the tail helps keep the rat stable because it centers the animal’s mass directly above the surface, thereby providing the rotational inertia that prevents the rat from tipping over. The tail can also be used to grip objects (one area where the lack of fur comes in handy) which increases a rat’s climbing ability.

When predators threaten, a rat can lash out with its tail, thereby frightening and possibly injuring the predator. If the predator doesn’t give up, the rat may still be able to get away if the predator catches the tail rather than the torso. Rats’ tails don’t break off as easily as certain lizards’ tails do and they don’t grow back, but a rat can survive losing a piece of its tail or even the whole thing if it means being able to escape danger right now.

Finally, a rat’s tail helps keep its body temperature at a healthy level. Rats can’t sweat, so they need a different way to cool down. The tail is full of blood vessels that run just beneath the hairless skin, so when too-warm blood flows into the tail some of the excess heat it carries escapes through the skin before the blood reenters the more insulated torso. When a rat needs to stay warm, less blood enters the tail because the blood vessels constrict. The tail is flexible enough that the rat can also wrap it around the rest of its body to conserve warmth.

Rat Removal Near Me

If you’re wondering how to remove rats from the house, the first thing you need to know is that this job is best left to the professionals. Rats (and the fleas and ticks they carry) can spread more than 35 different diseases to humans and pets. Rats can also cause house fires, either by chewing on electrical wires or because their nests can ignite if built too close to a furnace or other heat source.

The professionals at Skedaddle know how to remove rats while prioritizing both your family’s health and the humane treatment of the rats. We know the precautions required to remove pests and clean up their nests and droppings without spreading any viruses and bacteria (some of the diseases carried by rats can be contracted by inhaling dust from dried droppings). Once we’ve humanely removed the critters (we don’t use poisons and we even have a special procedure for keeping mothers and babies together), we can clean up the nesting sites and repair damage to your house (did you know rats can chew through aluminum, concrete, bricks, and more?). We also know how to wildlife-proof your house to ensure you don’t acquire any more unwanted furry “friends.”

At Skedaddle we handle more than just rats. Our experts safely and humanely remove everything from raccoons to bats to skunks, clean up the messes they make, and fortify your house to keep wildlife out. Contact us today to arrange professional solutions to all your wildlife problems.