They fall under the category of rodents and
apart from rats; we also have the mice and the
squirrels. They are differentiated from other
mammals by the presence of a pair of incisor
teeth in both the upper and the lower jaws.
However, all rodents are known to be active all
year round hence they do not hibernate. Instead,
during the cold season, they tend to shift their
environment to move to warmer areas but within
the same home range as they are believed to be
constant in regards to shelter due to their
territoriality nature. Rats usually isolate
themselves during winter, and use stored food
during this season. Some of the convenient
shelters that the rats use during the cold
season include;
Houses and sheds
The dark, hidden places in homes are the best
places for the rats to take advantage of and
find shelter during the harsh conditions. They
will look for the interior most areas in the
houses and sheds for accommodation as they are
afraid of exposure.
Vehicles
The abandoned vehicles in driveways and garages
also provide a good environment for the rats to
shelter themselves from the cold season. They
will build their nests in parts that are
concealed and protected such as engines and
ventilation compartments.
Caves
Mostly, those rats that live outside the human
home range will use cave in the wild for shelter
during winter. Due to the adversity of the
weather, small groups may find themselves in one
cave and so they will have to share the space.
However, they urinate on food as a way to mark
territory for the different groups.
Burrows
In other instances, rats will burrow to build
their nests. The place they burrow is usually
free from any human activities to prevent any
disturbances and they will dig very deep up to
the point where the surface conditions are not
felt at all. These regions are almost as
constant as possible as compared to the surface
which changes from time to time.
Basically, during the cold season, even if they
are still active, most life activities of rats
are disrupted. From low amounts of food, to the
harsh conditions and so is their breeding. With
these challenges on their side, it makes it
easier to fight and eliminate rats at this time
from homes. Ranging from limiting food spills
and locking away leftovers, they won’t last long
before dying or moving out. Also, if you
discover the place they are hiding, use of a
pesticide will kill most of them.
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