Rat Feats Roof rats are agile climbers and can shinny the outside of three-inch diameter pipes or any size pipe within three inches of a wall. Rats are capable of climbing the inside of vertical pipes that are 1 1/2 to 4 inches in diameter.
Water doesn't stop Norway rats. They can swim as far as 1/2 mile in open water, dive through water plumbing traps and travel in sewer lines, even against strong water currents. Roof rats are capable swimmers, but only swim if necessary.
Rats constantly gnaw anything softer than their teeth, including lead sheeting, improperly-cured concrete, sun-dried adobe brick, cinder block, wood and aluminum sheeting.
Excellent balance allows roof rats to easily scale brick or other rough walls that offer footholds and to travel along power lines and ropes. Norway rats are good climbers, but they are not as agile as roof rats.
Norway rats can burrow to a depth of four feet. Roof rats burrow very little.
Excellent jumpers, rats are capable of jumping vertically 36 inches and horizontally 48 inches.
Dropping from a height of 50 feet doesn't kill or seriously injure rats.
Since rats can fit through openings that are as small as 1/2 inch in diameter, it's very difficult to rat-proof a building.
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Rat Feats