How Many Rats Are In Michigan

Publish date: 2024-07-27

People are currently reading this guide.

The Great Michigan Rat Census: We Tried Counting, We Really Did (But Maybe We Shouldn't Have)

Ah, Michigan. The Mitten State, land of the Great Lakes, home to delicious cherries, and...apparently, a shocking number of rats. We're not talking about a few rogue Remy wannabes here – we're talking a full-on rodent renaissance.

So, How Many Rats Are We Talking About?

This is the million-dollar question (well, maybe more like a ten-cent question, considering the competition). The truth is, nobody knows for sure. Rats are masters of disguise, blending into the shadows and leaving behind only the faintest traces of their tiny, pizza-loving paws.

Some studies estimate that for every person in a city, there could be 2-10 rats. Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Flint have consistently ranked high on "rattiest cities" lists, which isn't exactly a badge of honor. If you do the math (and let's face it, who even wants to?), that could mean millions of mischief-makers multiplying merrier than a gremlin convention.

But Wait, There's More! (Because of Course There Is)

Here's the kicker: these aren't your average sewer-dwelling scoundrels. Michigan boasts a healthy population of Norway rats, also known as brown rats, which can grow up to 18 inches long (including the tail, which is basically another whole rat at that point). Imagine that scurrying across your kitchen floor at 3 am – not exactly the relaxing bedtime story you were hoping for.

But hey, at least they're not bed bugs, right? Silver linings, people, silver linings.

Fun Facts That Will Keep You Up At Night (You're Welcome)

Rats can squeeze through holes the size of a quarter. So much for that whole "stuffing steel wool under the door" trick.
They're excellent swimmers – up to 300 meters! Forget about escaping to an island paradise, they'll be there waiting with tiny swimsuits and even tinier margaritas.
They can jump up to 3 feet. Just picture a rat doing a high jump over your shoebox of sentimental childhood keepsakes. Shudder.

FAQ: How to Deal with Our Michigander Rodent Roommates

How to Avoid Attracting Rats: Keep things clean, store food in sealed containers, and eliminate any potential hiding spots (like those overflowing boxes in the basement...we see you).

How to Tell if You Have Rats: Look for droppings, gnaw marks, and mysterious rustling noises at night (because let's face it, normal houses don't sound like that).

How to Get Rid of Rats: There are traps, there are poisons (use with caution!), and there are professional exterminators (the most likely to succeed option).

How to Live with Rats (Because Apparently That's a Thing Now): Befriend a cat. Cats are nature's rat assassins (although some might argue they're just playing with their food).

How to Embrace the Rodent Renaissance: Look on the bright side! At least you'll never run out of entertainment (if you find that sort of thing entertaining).

4047240613224241198