Trash cans these days tend to be rubber or plastic, so it’s no challenge to a rat. Rats can chew through pretty much anything short of concrete and solid metal, with teeth which grow continuously. They need to chew, to file their teeth, so chewing is a major exploratory activity for the little guys.

Even mice - I discovered in a car that belonged to a family member who was diabetic, and hadn't driven for months, that mice had gotten into the glove box, where there were a bunch of insulin injection tips, plastic with needles, they had munched them to little bits, absolutely went to town on them. I have no idea why they would do that, but I guess rodents chew compulsively.

They do. Ive lived with some pet rats and you need to provide toys for them to chew and they get demolished fairly quickly. Their teeth do not stop growing and need to be constantly work down. That's true for all rodents as far as I am aware