Can Rats Chew Through Walls? (Answered)
Rats are some of the most destructive pests that can enter your home. Not only do they reproduce at a rapid rate, but they also have powerful jaws and sharp teeth that allow them to chew through almost any material. This means that if a rat finds an opening or crack in your walls, it could potentially gain access to your house and cause damage in the process.
In this article, we will discuss whether rats can chew through walls and what you should do if you suspect a rat infestation in your home.
Can Rats Chew Through Walls?
Rats can and will chew through the walls in your home. While they prefer to go through openings and cracks, they can also gnaw their way through materials like wood, plaster, and even weak cement. Their powerful jaws and sharp teeth allow them to chomp through almost anything.
Rats have teeth that grow constantly, as much as 1.4 mm per day. To prevent their teeth from painfully growing into the skull, these animals must continuously gnaw on materials to grind them down. This renders almost any tough material present in your house a potential rat-chewing item.
Not only are rats notorious for their relentless gnawing and biting, but they also possess incredible strength despite their small size. Though difficult to accurately measure, the bite pressure of rats is remarkably powerful for their size. Comparatively, rat bites display a much higher power per square inch than even alligators and sharks. Rats possess an almost uncanny ability to gnaw through anything, whether it be wood, drywall, brick, concrete, aluminum sheetrock or any other material.
Do Rats Eat Drywall?
Rats will not eat drywall as if it were a meal. However, rats will chew through the drywall to make a nest in your walls or to create easier paths throughout your home.
Rat droppings, urine and nesting material can also cause damage to your walls. Not only will the rats chew through the drywall but they may also nibble away at any loose wires in your wall, which is a major fire hazard.
Why Do Rats Chew Through Drywall?
Rats chew through drywall for a few reasons. The most common of these is to gain access to hidden areas of your home and build nests. Rats will also gnaw on the materials inside walls like insulation, wiring, and pipes, which they use to create their nests.
Another reason rats may chew through drywall is to satisfy their instinctual need to gnaw on materials. As previously mentioned, rats must continuously chew to keep their teeth from growing too long and into the skull.
Lastly, rats may also be trying to find food inside your walls. Rats are omnivores and will eat almost anything, including insects that make nests in wall voids or insulation.
How Long Does it Take For Rats to Chew Through Walls?
The amount of time it takes a rat to chew through your walls will depend on several factors, including the size of the rat and the thickness of your wall. On average, rats can chew through the drywall in a matter of hours. However, other materials like wood and concrete will take rats much longer to gnaw through.
Depending on the material, it can take a rat two hours to a couple of weeks to chew through a wall. It is important to note that although they may not be doing it all at once, rats are certainly capable of chipping away bit by bit until they create a hole large enough to squeeze through.
The best way to keep rats from gnawing on your walls is to seal any cracks, holes and other openings in the drywall with steel wool or caulking. Additionally, it is important to regularly inspect your home for signs of pest activity and take the necessary steps to get rid of any rats.
How Long Does it Take For a Rat to Chew Through a Concrete Wall?
Concrete walls are much harder and more durable than drywall, which means it will take rats longer to chew through them. It can take anywhere from two days to two weeks for a rat to chew through concrete.
The process is also quite noisy, as you’ll likely hear the rats scratching and chewing at odd hours of the day and night. In addition, the rats will be able to create wide enough holes in the concrete wall to fit through or even build nests inside.
How Long Can Rats Live Trapped in a Wall?
Rats can live 5 to 7 days stuck inside a wall without food or water. However, the rats will likely become desperate for food and water after about three days.
If the rats can find a source of sustenance inside your walls, they can survive much longer. It is also important to note that without a regular supply of food, trapped rats will begin to starve and die off in as little as one week.
The best way to get rid of rats in your walls is to contact a professional exterminator who can identify the source of the infestation and determine the most effective pest control method for your home. Additionally, it is important to seal up any cracks or openings in your walls with steel wool or caulking to prevent future rat invasions.
How Do I Stop Rats From Chewing My Walls?
The best way to stop rats from chewing your walls is to take preventative measures. This includes sealing up any cracks, holes and other openings in the drywall with steel wool or caulking. Additionally, it is important to regularly inspect your home for signs of pest activity and take the necessary steps to get rid of any rats.
You should also make sure that your home is free of food sources, such as open garbage cans or pet food. Finally, it is important to trim any trees or bushes that may be providing easy access to the roof or upper levels of your home. Following these steps will help ensure that rats are not able to enter and chew through your walls.
Once you have taken the necessary steps to prevent rats from entering your home, it is important to regularly inspect the premises for signs of pest activity. This can include chewing marks, rat droppings or other signs of gnawing. If you do find any evidence of rat activity, be sure to take action immediately and contact a professional exterminator to help get rid of the rats.
Taking preventative steps and being proactive about inspecting for signs of rat activity is key to preventing them from chewing through your walls. Doing so will help protect your home, as well as save you money in repairs and extermination costs.
How to Get Rid of Rats in Your Wall
The best way to get rid of rats in your wall is to contact a pest removal company. However, if you’d like to do the job yourself you can.
- Leave poisonous rat bait for rats to come snack on, and put them inside the holes that the rats frequent if possible.
- Seal up all holes around your home using steel wool so that the rats will eat the poison instead of trying to find new ways into your home.
- Cut open the wall and remove the dead rat carcasses.
- Fix the cut drywall and reseal any holes.
- Regularly check for signs of rat activity and take action as soon as possible.
By following these steps and taking preventative measures, you can effectively get rid of any rats that may have taken up residence inside your walls. Additionally, it is important to contact a professional exterminator if you are not sure how to proceed or if the infestation is too severe for DIY removal.
Taking proactive steps and contacting an exterminator when necessary will help ensure that the rats are gone for good, protecting your home from any future invasions. With the right preventative measures, you can successfully rid your home of rats for good.
Conclusion
Rats can chew through walls and cause serious damage to a home if left untreated. To prevent rats from entering your home, it is important to take the necessary steps such as sealing up cracks or holes with steel wool or caulking and trimming any trees that may be providing easy access to the roof of your house.
Additionally, you should regularly inspect for signs of pest activity and contact a professional exterminator if needed. By taking proactive measures and following these tips, you will help ensure that rats are not able to enter and chew through your walls in the future.
