Roof Rats: How To Identify and Eliminate

Roof Rats: How To Identify and Eliminate

One of the most common rodents invading homes is the roof rat, also known as the palm rat, fruit rat, ship rat, and Alexandrian rat. Norway rats, which are stockier than roof rats, can also invade dwellings. If you want to get rid of the rats in your attic, you need to identify the species first. There are several key distinctions between roof rats and Norway rats. Let’s take a look at a few of the distinctions.

SIZE

Roof rats are smaller than Norway rats (also known as the sewer rat or brown rat) and have longer tails. They can reach a maximum length of 18 inches (including the tail) and a minimum weight of 5 ounces.

APPEARANCE

Roof rats are commonly black in color, while Norway rats are brown or gray. Compared to Norway rats, roof rats are smaller, thinner, and their fur is smooth. Large, hairless ears and pointed faces are two other distinguishing characteristics of these rodents.

HABITAT

Roof rats, in contrast to other rat species, are adept climbers and construct their nests in elevated locations rather than underground burrows. They build their nests outside in places like trees, shrubs, wood piles, and dense vegetation. Whenever possible, these pests will seek out the warmest part of the house, which is typically the attic or another upper level. There are a number of places in the house where they might set up shop for the winter, including attics, cabinets, ceilings, garages, interior walls, bathrooms, outdoor kitchens, and pool decks.

DIET

Unlike many other rat species, roof rats eat a lot of nuts and seeds rather than meat scraps and other high-protein foods. Because of this, nuts and fruits make up the bulk of a their diet, though they are omnivores like all rats. If they’re hungry enough, they’ll eat almost anything, including vegetation, pet food, animal feed, vegetables, insects, nuts, seeds, tree bark, and even lizards.

WATER

Roof rats require water to survive and will often use the following as a water source: watering holes, leaky pipes, AC lines, pet water bowls, flowerpots, sprinklers, and gutters.

SIGNS OF ROOF RATS

Because they are nocturnal and hunt for food at night, roof rats are not always visible. In order to detect an infestation, however, you must be familiar with the telltale signs of a problem. When located, the appropriate rodent prevention measures can be implemented.

The presence of roof rat feces is a clear indication of an infestation. Roof rat feces are less noticeable in size compared to those of Norway rats. The feces have sharp points and measure about half an inch in length. Other telltale signs of a roof rat infestation include:

  • Rattling, squeaking, or other gnawing sounds from the ceiling or walls
  • Damage to the eaves and/or roof from gnawing
  • You can see them running along tree trunks, power lines, rooftops, patios, and fruit trees.
  • Fruit with the pits removed, if you have fruit trees.
  • Household electrical wiring is chewed on and damaged.
  • Stressed and anxious pets.
  • Leaving greasy footprints and smudges on the home’s regular passageways.
  • Nests discovered in your home’s insulation.

WHAT HARM DO ROOF RATS CAUSE?

Roof rats can be a real nuisance, and their droppings and urine can be dangerous to your health. Roof rats can get into your home by gnawing holes in the soffit or eaves. As soon as they get inside, they can do a lot of harm by wire-chewing, which can cause electrical problems and fires; nibbling up in the rafters of the loft; gnawing on water lines and causing leaks; and reducing insulation’s effectiveness by trampling on it. They can also contaminate your home with their urine and feces, causing health problems for you and your family.

RODENT PREVENTION

Prevent roof rats with the following tips:

  • Empty garbage regularly and put it in cans with tightly fitting lids.
  • Keep your house clean and decluttered.
  • Avoid using open compost piles.
  • Store food in sealed containers.
  • Only leave enough pet food out for one sitting.
  • Keep pets, especially cats, around the house.

If you suspect you have a problem with roof rats or any other rodents, contact your local pest control company for a complete evaluation.

 

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Common Rodents to Lookout for this Winter

Common South Florida Rodents: How to Prevent

We don’t often see temperatures below freezing in Cape Coral, but we do experience colder months. While it’s a nice break from the humid weather, unfortunately, it can bring unwanted pests into our homes. Rodents are looking for a warm place to inhabit and search for a food source. If these pests get inside, they can cause significant damage, such as chewed wires, damaged insulation, and risk of disease. Check out our list of common rodents in your area and how you can prevent them from entering your home.

House Mouse

The house mouse prefers dark, secluded areas in your home, such as the crawl space, basement, or attic. These creatures can adapt very quickly to human environments, often hiding in household clutter and inside the walls of homes. Since they are skilled climbers and are able to jump a foot high, they will often reach isolated areas inside your home.

Norway Rats

One of the largest rodent species, Norway rats are nocturnal creatures, searching for food sources in garbage cans at night. You can often spot these creatures burrowing in areas that go undisturbed for a long time, such as crawlspaces and basements. Once inside, these creatures are known to gnaw on furniture, walls, plastic, lead pipes, and wires.

Roof Rats

Due to their padded feet, roof rats can easily climb up our homes, infesting our attics, eaves, and roof lines. Living in colonies, they will typically stay together in a familiar area instead of exploring new ones. If an area is providing both food and shelter, these rats will stay close or inhabit the area.

Preventing Rodents in Cape Coral

Rodents can adapt to almost any situation, making it more difficult to get rid of them. Fortunately, there are a few easy ways to help deter these creatures away from your home.

To keep rodents out this winter, utilize these rodent prevention tips:

  • Empty your garbage regularly, utilizing a tight lid or lock
  • Utilize screens on vents, chimneys, windows, and doors
  • Keep your home decluttered and clean, wiping up any spills or crumbs immediately
  • Avoid leaving your pet food outside overnight
  • Keep piles of wood elevated off the ground and placed at least 20 feet away from your home
  • Check for sources of moisture throughout your home and eliminate them as soon as possible
  • Reach out to your local professional South Florida pest control company to help remove and prevent them in the future
Types of Rodents Found in the South

Types of Rodents Found in the South

We never expect our homes to fall victim to rodent invaders, but it can happen to anyone! Getting rid of these critters can be difficult, but with the help of a wildlife control company, it can be made possible. Before reaching out to someone for assistance, be sure you’re identifying these rodents correctly. Here are some of the most common rodents found in the South.

Deer Mouse

Often referred to as field mice, these rodents are typically found in the woodlands and desert areas. They rarely invade residential properties but will sometimes seek shelter in our homes for winter since they don’t hibernate. When indoors, deer mice are typically found in basements or attics. The biggest threat about them is that they can transmit the dangerous hantavirus, so it’s vital to get them taken care of as soon as possible.

House Mouse

Just like the deer mouse, these mice also carry diseases and shouldn’t be kept in your home for long once discovered. The house mouse prefers to move along baseboards and countertops and can be seen eating anything they can find. They will contaminate your food and can transmit diseases like salmonella and even the bubonic plague. They are also known to cause structural damage such as creating tunnels in walls and chewing exposed wires.

Norway Rats

These stocky, heavy-bodied rats are larger and more aggressive than the roof rat. They rely heavily on human activity for survival and will eat anything like cereal grains, meats, fish, nuts, and some fruits. Norway rats are more active at night and can cause considerable damage to homes, gardens, and structures. The main concern is the diseases they are known to spread, which include jaundice, rat bite fever, and salmonella.

Roof Rats

Known as a serious pest problem, they are also dependent on humans for survival and will usually infest homes. They have padded feet that make it easier for them to climb, so they are usually found in attics, eaves, and roof lines. Roof rats are known for spreading multiple diseases, including salmonella, leptospirosis, and rat bite fever. They contaminate food when they are foraging, impacting not just humans, but also pets and livestock.

If you think you have a rodent problem, it’s important to get it taken care of as soon as possible. Reach out to your local wildlife control company so they can create a customized plan to rid your home of rodents.

Popular Rodents in Miami

Popular Rodents in Miami

Miami Pest Control: Identifying Common Rodents

Whether you find them in your attic, basement, crawlspace, or just near your property, spotting any rodents on your property is never ideal. These pests can cause significant property damage and pose health risks to you and your family. To avoid these sneaky creatures, it’s important for each homeowner to be aware of the different types of common rodents that will invade their Miami homes.

Norway Rat

One of the largest species of rats, Norway rats measure from 13 to 18 inches in body length, are known to have thick fur, and are usually brown in color. These rats prefer to live closer to humans, searching for any food source available. They will eat any food type but usually prefer high-quality foods such as meat and fresh grains. Rats also need a water source to survive since they don’t get moisture needed from their food source and will look for any standing water.

Norway rats will burrow to make their nests underneath buildings, concrete slabs, around ponds, in garbage dumps, and more. In homes, they will typically look to areas that usually go undisturbed, such as crawlspaces or basements. These creatures will cause property damage, such as gnawing through plastic materials or lead pipes. Norway rats will bring fleas and mites into the home.

House Mouse

Only ranging from 5 to 7 inches in length, the house mouse has a fur coloration ranging from light brown to black with a tan or white belly. You can usually tell the difference between a house mouse and a rat by looking at their tails; mice tails are long, rough, and have little to no fur. House mice will eat any food to survive, but they usually like to feed on cereal grains. While rats need water to survive, house mice do not, as they get most of their water from the food they eat.

If these rodents find a food source, they typically stick around that area, establishing a territory 30 to 50 feet from it. House mice are incredible climbers, allowing them to jump and reach isolated or withdrawn areas. If they get inside the home, they can be a threat as they are known to create electrical fires by gnawing on wires.

Roof Rat

Slightly smaller than a Norway rat, the roof rat measures around 13 inches in length, including the tail. These rodents are brown, black, or gray with a scaly, snaked tail which is longer than the head and body. They are excellent climbers and prefer to nest in high places within structures, including higher levels of homes, trees, and buildings. Roof rats prefer to eat fruit, vegetables, and cereal products. Roof rats eat a lot all at once and will return to that place time after time for food.

If you suspect any of these rodents inside your home, consider contacting your local Miami pest control company for a rodent control plan that will help remove, exclude, and prevent them in the future!

 

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Can You Have Rats and Mice at the Same Time?

Can You Have Rats and Mice at the Same Time?

Rats and mice are both rodents and while they are often mistaken for each other, the similarities really end there. These two pests don’t breed with each other and typically nest in different places. If a population is big enough that the two species cross paths on a regular basis and the food sources nearby are plentiful, then they can inhabit the same area at the same time; this is rare, however. Most often they are competing for the same food and rats will kill mice instead. In fact, mice and rats give off very distinctive odors and mice will flee when they smell rats nearby.

Rats vs mice can be confusing and the two are often mistaken for each other when they infest your home.

Mice are much smaller than rats, usually only 2″ to 4″ long. They typically have lighter brown coloring and dark tails. Their ears are proportionately larger when compared to their body size than those of rats. Mice have wide, blunt snouts, small feet, and small, beady eyes. They prefer to eat grains and plants but will eat leftover food and garbage if inside. They can also go long periods of time without water. They typically nest in hidden areas near their food sources (e.g. your kitchen). They produce more droppings per day than rats (70-150) but their droppings are smaller in size and usually scattered throughout the house. They are more curious than rats and easier to trap.

Rats are much larger than mice, usually ranging from 8″ to 10″ in length. They also have much darker coloring. Their ears are proportionately smaller when compared to their body size than their mice cousins. They have sharp, narrow snouts, large hind feet, and large, prominent eyes. Rats are omnivores and will eat anything they find, including meat. They require regular amounts of drinking water than mice do. Depending on the species, rats also nest in different areas than mice. Norway rats will often dig under buildings, along fences, and hide under debris and landscaping. Roof rats will typically nest in higher locations (e.g. roofs, attics, and rafters). Rats produce larger feces (about 2 cm in size). Rats are more cautious than mice and can be more difficult to trap. They are also strong swimmers.

Both rats and mice are dangerous to humans. Risks of a rodent infestation of any kind include gnawing through surfaces, insulation, and wires; contaminating surfaces with urine and droppings; and carrying and transmitting harmful pathogens like salmonellosis, plague, and trichinosis.

The best treatment against a rodent infestation is to prevent them in the first place. Here are some of our top rodent prevention tips you can utilize in your home.

  1. Clean up spilled food immediately.
  2. Put away all food at night, including pet food and bird feeders.
  3. Keep food, including pet food and bird seed, in sealed, airtight containers.
  4. Keep garbage can lids tightly sealed.
  5. Declutter your attic and basement, especially anything made of cardboard.
  6. Store any items you can on shelves rather than in the floor.
  7. Keep your yard clear of debris.
  8. Keep grass and shrubs cut short.
  9. Trim shrubs and trees away from the sides of your home.
  10. Store firewood off the ground and a safe distance from your home.
  11. Repair holes in your foundation, garage, and interior walls and any gaps in your roof.
  12. Seal any openings larger than 1/4″.
  13. Use rubber seals under garage doors.
  14. Use door sweeps on exterior doors.
  15. Use weatherstripping around windows and doors.
  16. Use screens that are in good repair on doors and windows.
  17. Seal around pipes, drains, and vents.
  18. Use chimney caps.

If you suspect a problem with rodents or any other pest, contact your local pest control company who can help identify which rodent you are dealing with and set you up with the most appropriate rodent control plan for your situation.

 

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