Can rats swim? Do they drown?

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There are a few different species of rats, believe it or not, and some of them are actually very good swimmers. This is a point that seems to have been proven in many of the big cities around the world, with rats being noted swimming in crumbling and rundown sewer systems, often making their way into residential and commercial properties in this way.



Rats are land-dwelling animals, but they have absolutely no objections to going for a dip every now and again. In fact, they're quite partial to a cool dip, especially if that cool dip offers up the prospect of a tasty meal at the end of it, or perhaps a nice, cosy spot to set up a nest. Rats that NEED to swim more frequently than others will be better at the sport than those that spend the majority of their time on dry land, but they are all capable of excellent swimming skills. In fact, it has been reported that the creature can swim for around half a mile, or a kilometer, in order to reach a patch of dry land. This could easily be a small stretch in the sewer systems. That half a mile in the sewers could easily lead to a dry patch of land right in your bathroom, or perhaps even in your kitchen or back yard. Where are the drains around your property? You may wish to check they're covered.

Studies always seem to suggest that rats are pretty good at treading water, as well as swimming in it, and this gives the rodent another added strength. Some rats have even been shown to tread water for days at a time, three or four in some cases, and still have some strength to keep going. You must remember, of course, that most rats will be exhausted by such a long and tiresome journey, therefore, will be tired and more docile when they reach the dry land at the other end.

Of course, this puts somewhat of a spanner in the works, as the old saying goes, if you are trying to drown a rat out of your plumbing. There's a very good chance that the rat won't drown at all, instead surviving down there for much longer than you'd anticipated. If you have plastic plumbing, the rat can easily chew through it and that, in turn, can cause flooding problems in your building. That's before you look at the health hazards and other complications that come as a result of having rats in your building. Rats CAN swim, and they can survive in water for a long time too. This means that presuming you can drown them out of your home (or any space) is going to end up in disaster. If they manage to chew through your pipes, it really will spell disaster — a very costly one to repair, no doubt.



For more information, you may want to click on one of these guides that I wrote:
How much does rat removal cost? - get the lowdown on prices.
How to get rid of rats - my main rat removal info guide.
Example rat trapping photographs - get do-it-yourself ideas.
Rat job blog - learn from great examples of rat jobs I've done.
rats in the attic - the steps to get them out.
Rats in the walls - what to do to solve the problem.