A community of rats can be as many as 100 or more depending upon how much food and space is available.
Do i have rats in my attic.
Look for the signs such as droppings footprints dead mice nesting debris noise grease marks or gnaw marks in your attic.
Listen for scurrying feet and squeaks especially at night and look out for traces of droppings usually grouped in a corner and signs of scratching and chew marks which are all indications that you have rodents in the attic.
In addition to chewing electrical wires rats will shred clothing plastic and paper materials to create a nest.
All of this material can become a fire hazard in a wall or attic.
If you are asking yourself the following question do i have rats in my attic and you see a live rat then the answer is yes.
Because of the diseases they can carry you should also check up on the equipment that you will need to safely trap the rats without any risk to your health.
If you suspect you have rats in the attic the first step is to inspect your entire home.
Rats can be very bold and will still sneak around even if it hears you coming.
It goes without saying that if you find a live rat in your attic then you have a rat in the attic.
The problem with rats in your attic is that it is rarely ever just one.
Roof rats are very common in hot areas and are especially known to cause problems in the southeastern part of the united states.
They can successfully mate throughout the year meaning that if you have rats in the attic then there is a good possibility that they will have a nest of baby rats that you will need to deal with as well.
If you have confirmed that there are rats in the attic follow the following steps.
Look for holes or gaps in the entire house.
Living in an attic is a relatively natural thing for them and it has some advantages including access to human food safety from predation and shelter from the weather.