Have you recently acquired professional rat control treatment or tried DIY rat extermination? Then make sure to dispose of the carcass properly, or else you might end up inviting more rats, keeping the infestation size the same as earlier. Rats can feed on anything, even on their dead friends. There is one more reason behind it. If the pest leaves the carcass to rot, the terrible odour could pull the attention of their predators to their infestation area. It in turn can put your life at risk. Shocked? There are more shocking things that we are going to disclose through our today’s topic ‘do dead rats attract other rats?’. So, read till the end.
Do Dead Rats Attract other Rats: What does the research say?
According to several research studies, dead rats potentially attract living ones. The situation becomes worse when rats live secretly in someone’s house. For instance, when a rat dies inside your premises, all the rats living nearby will make it away to the dead one with their special sniffing ability.
In fact, the odour of the carcass won’t linger long as it will already be eaten by the other alive rats. And as a result, your house can get new rats and that too in a huge number! Rats are social animals, if one dies in your home, the chances of more counterparts living nearby are high indeed.
A dead rat not only allures more living rats but other rodents, making your premises a living hell! Rats and rodents do not only spread threatening diseases through food contamination but can transmit Leptospirosis, Plague, Tularemia, rat bite fever, etc through painful bites.
So, if you sense any ill, musty odour inside your premises or on your lawn, be quick to find out the root source of the odour before it’s too late. If it is coming from a dead rat, arrange its disposal properly. Dead rats are more dangerous and infectious compared to living ones. The toxic gases as well as the microscopic compounds that are emitted from the corpse can penetrate into your respiratory tract, making you severely ill.
So, it’s always advisable to seek professional assistance rather than handle it alone. Besides being trained, professionals have safety gears that they use while removing the carcass. So the shortest and simplest answer to: ‘do dead rats attract other rats’ is a clear-cut yes.
Is It Normal For Living Rats To Feed On Dead Ones?
Wild rats are regarded as opportunistic omnivores, they can feed on anything that they can digest. Rats can digest anything starting from biotin, folic acid, vitamin K, and whatnot and they get all this nutrition by consuming dead rats. In fact, they do not mind eating even their own faeces. Moreover, several studies and observations state that wild rats can feed on their own dead nest buddies. So, it might sound odd, but for rats, getting lured to their dead mates is nothing abnormal.
Do Poison Dead Rats Attract Other Rats?
Yes, living rats are attracted to poisoned dead rats, and the reason is the same, to consume them, which results in the former’s death as well. This can work as a chain system, causing more deaths in the species. This event surely helps control the infestation. However, there is always a drawback. Rats do not immediately after consuming the poison. They could flee to a different place and die. If somehow an innocent pet or any other animal consumes the carcass, it is likely to become a victim of the poison. So, be very cautious while using rat poisons and rodenticides, and use them only under expert guidance. And also, make sure to remove the poisoned carcass before it comes to the notice of your pets.
Can Rats Feed On Their Own Dead Babies?
Besides receiving questions like ‘ ‘do dead rats attract other rats’, we are also asked if a rat can eat its own dead babies. Well, infanticide in the animal kingdom is nothing new, and rats are no exception to it. Rats do not only consume their dead babies but also when they are alive. The mother rats often consume their infants out of the fear and stress of predators, lack of sustenance and food, and the strangest among all: the death of the baby. Not only the mother rats but the other rats of their colony can also be tempted by the smell of the dead baby rats.
What Other Pests Are Attracted To Dead Rats?
Not only living rats, dead rats, and rodents allure other pests, including maggots and flies to feed on them. Blowflies are attracted to rotting flesh. So if you make any delay in eradicating the dead rat, you might have to deal with other pesky pests.
What Does A Dead Rat Smell Like?
The dead rat starts to smell when the body starts to decay. It could take around 3 to 5 weeks. The terrible odour is generated from the toxic gases released from the carcass, including ammonia, methane, hydrogen sulphide, etc.
Final Words
Hopefully, we have resolved your doubts regarding ‘do dead rats attract other rats. Well, rats are indeed one of the most annoying, harmful, and destructive pests commonly seen in Australian households. They could get on your nerves even when dead. Dead rats attract more rats, rodents, and other pests. Also, the toxin it discharges can leave a threatening impact on your health. So, you must immediately make arrangements for dead rat disposal in order to control rat infestation while maintaining hygiene inside your premises. Rats are very dangerous and the spread many diseases. Read our useful post about diseases caused by rats and rodents.