What Rats Can't Chew Through - pestwhisperer.com

Rats are known to have the strongest jaws of all rodents, and some estimate that their jaw muscles can exert over 6,000 lbs. of force per square inch! This is much more than the bite force of a human being, which is roughly 70 lbs. per square inch, and much less than the jaw muscles of Nile crocodiles or hippopotamuses, which can bite up to 5,000 pounds per square inch. Even though rats have incredible jaw muscles, some materials are more difficult for them to chew than others.

Rats have 16 teeth: four incisors on the top and bottom, and 12 molars on each side. They continually wear down their teeth through gnawing and bruxing, which keeps them sharp and ready for a bite. If they weren’t kept sharp, their teeth would grow in a spiral with an 86-degree angle, which would render them unable to close their mouth and cause them to die.

Rats can chew through metal, plastic, and wood. However, they cannot chew through very hard metal. However, there are ways to keep them out of your house by making sure your house is completely sealed against rats. For starters, you should inspect your house’s exterior to make sure it is rat-proof. The most common entry points for rats are around pipes, electric wires, vents, drain spouts, and windows.

Although rats cannot chew through glass, they can chew through most materials. They can also chew through drywall, metal, and plastic.