Can Rats Eat You Alive?
In times of food shortage, rats sometimes eat one another. In fact, new mothers will even eat their own young as a kindness to the surviving offspring. This will prevent the weakest ones from starving and help the remaining ones survive. Rats also carry a variety of diseases that can be harmful to humans.
One of the most common diseases that are spread by rats is leptospirosis. It’s possible to get the disease by coming into contact with the animal’s droppings. In addition, rats carry many parasites. These parasites can spread disease, and they’re known to spread plague and hantaviruses. Moreover, rats can cause fires, so it’s important to keep electrical wires away from them.
The mother of a baby girl who was eaten by giant rats in a township in South Africa has been charged with child neglect. The case will be heard next year. In 2011, another baby girl was eaten alive in a shack outside Cape Town. The baby girl was left unattended, while the mother went out with friends. In addition, the other baby girl, Nomathemba Joyi, was gnawed to death when giant rats chewed off her face.
Rats are common in urban areas. They have a great sense of smell, which helps them detect humans long before they enter a room. Although there is no known way to prevent rat bites, the bites themselves can cause serious injury. Rat teeth can tear bone membranes and dismember ligaments.