How to Get Rid of Roof Rats

How to Get Rid of Roof Rats

Start by closing the easy ways in. Make sure every window, attic vent and gable vent has an intact screen or a hardware cloth cover. Roof rats often jump from overhanging limbs onto the roof and then find gaps at the eaves, so cut branches back several feet from the roofline.

For the rats already inside, set traps where they travel. Snap traps work best placed up high: along attic rafters and beams, on garage shelves and ledges, and on top of walls where you see droppings or greasy rub marks. Roof rats are cautious around anything new and may avoid a trap for days. Bait it with something they find hard to pass up, like a piece of banana, dried fruit, a nut or a small bit of bacon tied to the trigger.

Sealing the House and Removing What Rats Want

Traps remove the rats you have. Exclusion and yard cleanup keep new ones from taking their place. On Florida homes, check these entry points closely:

• Gaps where the roof meets the fascia and soffits, especially at roof returns and corners.
• Spots where AC lines, plumbing, cable and dryer vents pass through walls.
• Bottom corners of garage doors and worn door sweeps.

Seal gaps with hardware cloth, sheet metal or mortar rather than foam or caulk alone, which rats can chew through. Copper or steel mesh packed into gaps makes a good backing.

Around the yard, pick up fallen citrus and other fruit daily, harvest ripe fruit promptly, keep birdseed and pet food in sealed containers, remove dead palm fronds, and thin dense vines on walls and fences.

Common mistakes:

• Sealing every opening while rats are still inside, which traps them in the walls.
• Putting poison bait in an attic, which can leave rats dying in walls with a lasting odor and can harm pets and wildlife that eat poisoned rats.
• Setting one or two traps when the activity calls for many.
• Counting on ultrasonic devices, which are not a reliable fix.

A professional rodent service starts with a full inspection of the roofline, attic and yard, followed by trapping, sealing entry points, recommendations for cleaning or replacing soiled insulation, and follow-up checks. See rodent control.