What was life like in the trenches with rats?
Table of Contents
Trench conditions were ideal for rats. There was plenty of food, water and shelter. With no proper disposal system the rats would feast off food scraps. The rats grew bigger and bolder and would even steal food from a soldier’s hand.
How did soldiers in the trenches get rid of rats?
Cats and terriers were kept by soldiers in the frontline trenches to help free them of disease-carrying rats. The terriers were actually very effective in killing rats. There is difference between a cat and a terrier when it comes to rodent control.
Did rats live in the trenches?
The outstanding feature of the trenches was the extraordinary number of rats. The area was infested with them. It was impossible to keep them out of the dugouts. They grew fat on the food that they pilfered from us, and anything they could pick up in or around the trenches; they were bloated and loathsome to look at.
What 2 things inside the trenches attracted the rats?
Many men killed in the trenches were buried almost where they fell. If a trench subsided, or new trenches or dugouts were needed, large numbers of decomposing bodies would be found just below the surface. These corpses, as well as the food scraps that littered the trenches, attracted rats.
What was trench fever?
Trench fever or quintana fever (5-day fever) is a recurrent fever among non-immunocompromised individuals. Fever episodes lasting for one to five days are associated with nonspecific and varying symptoms such as severe headache, tenderness or pain in the shin, weakness, anorexia or abdominal pain.
What were the conditions like in the trenches?
Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.
Did ww1 soldiers shower?
How did they shower in ww1? Soldiers Used Either Buckets Or Deeper Holes Within The Trenches As Latrines. In order to go to the bathroom in the trenches, soldiers designated specific areas to serve as the latrines.
How big would trench rats grow?
Most soldiers who served on the Western Front would later recall how rats grew in boldness, stealing food that had been lain down for just a few moments. Rats would also crawl across the face of sleeping men. As they gorged themselves on food so they grew, with many rats reportedly growing to the size of cats.
What are the symptoms of trench foot?
Symptoms of trench foot include a tingling and/or itching sensation, pain, swelling, cold and blotchy skin, numbness, and a prickly or heavy feeling in the foot. The foot may be red, dry, and painful after it becomes warm. Blisters may form, followed by skin and tissue dying and falling off.
Is trench fever curable?
Trench fever received its name during World War I, when millions of troops living in close, unhygienic quarters were infested with body lice and infected with trench fever. Trench fever is not usually a serious disease and can be easily treated; if left untreated, serious complications include heart damage.
How bad was life in the trenches?
LIFE IN TRENCHES. Life in the trenches was very difficult because they were dirty and flooded in bad weather. Many of the trenches also had pests living in them, including rats, lice, and frogs. Rats in particular were a problem and ate soldier’s food as well as the actual soldiers while they slept.
Was life in the trenches really that bad?
How did the rats get in the trenches?
These rats stole food and were attracted by the human waste of war and bodies of buried soldiers that repapered after rain or heavy shelling. There was no proper system of waste disposal in trench life.
What was it like to live in the trench?
Trench life involved long periods of boredom mixed with brief periods of terror. The threat of death kept soldiers constantly on edge, while poor living conditions and a lack of sleep wore away at their health and stamina.
Are cats afraid of rats in trenches?
Germans built huge trench networks during the battle of the Somme. The soldiers had to face many problems in the trenches, and one of them was omnipresent rats. These rats were giant and cats were afraid of them.
What kinds of rodents live in your attic?
Rodents such as rats, mice, and raccoons often live in attic or crawl spaces due to their warm and moist nature. Other than living in your home rent free, they can cause an array of problems: