Unlike other rat species that often prefer to eat meat scraps and high-protein foods, the diet of roof rats is similar to that of squirrels. Their living space must provide them with enough water to sustain life. You may find them nesting in various places inside the home, including: Indoors, roof rats like to build nests in the upper areas of the home where it’s kept warm by rising heat. Outdoors, you can find roof rats nesting in trees, shrubs, wood piles and dense vegetation. Unlike other rat species, roof rats are also good climbers and build nests above ground, not underground in burrows. Other roof rat features include large ears with very little hair and pointy faces. Roof rats have smaller and sleeker bodies than Norway rats, and their fur is smooth. Roof rats are generally black in color, while Norway rats are brown or gray. They grow up to 18 in in length, including their tail, and weigh at least 5 oz. Unlike the Norway rat, which is also known as a sewer or brown rat, roof rats are smaller in size and their tails are longer than their bodies. Roof rats differ from the Norway rat in several ways. For effective pest control, you need to determine what type of rat is scurrying around your attic. Roof rats are known by a variety of other names, including palm rats, fruit rats, ship rats and Alexandrian rats.īoth roof rats and Norway rats, a stockier variety of rat, can infest homes. If you think you have roof rats, makes cure to check out our control options below. If you live in these zones, your attic may become the target of roof rats, which can create a variety of problems for your family and property. One of those areas is the southern third of the United States and the coastal states. The best way to get rid of rodents in the attic is to contact the professionals at Critter Control for safe and effective removal.While some people have little to no problem with rodent pests, there are certain areas of the United States that are more prone to rodent problems than others. Trimming tree branches that hang over roofs.Homeowners can make it harder for rodents to get into attics with the following simple prevention measures: Though the risk is low, squirrels are capable of spreading rabies. Rats and mice also transmit Hantavirus, plague, and salmonellosis. These pests easily move around homes and contribute to the spread of Lyme disease. All three of the common offenders carry parasites in their fur.

Frayed electrical wiring can cause shorts or even fires.Īdditionally, having any rodent in the attic comes with health risks. This leads them to damage support beams, stored items, and wires.

For example, to keep their teeth at a practical length, mice, rats, and squirrels all have to gnaw constantly.

Though they're all different pests, rodents in the attic cause similar issues.

The most common varieties include squirrels, mice, and rats. Therefore, homeowners often find rodents in attics. They're warm, unfrequented by humans, and safe from natural predators. When Should You Be Concerned About Zoonotic Diseases From Nuisance Wildlife?Īttics are excellent nesting locations for many types of pests. Tab will move on to the next part of the site rather than go through menu items. Enter and space open menus and escape closes them as well. Up and Down arrows will open main level menus and toggle through sub tier links. Left and right arrows move across top level links and expand / close menus in sub levels. The site navigation utilizes arrow, enter, escape, and space bar key commands.

Roof rats game