Why Does Rats Eat Soap?

Rats are omnivorous and curious creatures. They often eat various substances, including soap. Although most kinds of soap are not toxic to them, large quantities of soap are harmful to rats. Therefore, it is not a good idea to pour soap on rats. However, if you are worried about rat infestation, professional exterminators will help you check for holes and gaps around your house to eliminate possible access points.

Some people think that the scent of soap is enough to repel rodents, but there is no concrete evidence for this. In fact, a study conducted by University of California scientists showed that a particular soap ingredient (triclosan) can cause liver tumors in rats. However, this study was performed in a laboratory.

There are a number of reasons why rats eat soap. While mice are not attracted to soap, they will gnaw on anything containing animal fat. Therefore, if the soap is edible to mice, they will ingest it. If you suspect that soap contains animal fats, it is best to avoid it.

Rats have evolved to not be picky about what they eat. As the world changes, they have to adapt to new foods. Hence, they sample new foods before eating them.