Rat and Mouse Control in Parkland

In Parkland, the rat in the attic is usually a roof rat. UF/IFAS describes them as climbers that prefer to nest off the ground, in attics, roof spaces, palm trees and ornamental shrubs. Their tail is longer than their head and body together. They like fruit, so the mango, avocado and citrus trees in Parkland backyards are a draw.

They travel at night along fences, power lines and branches. UF notes rats can jump from a tree branch to a house roof. If palm fronds or oak limbs hang over your roof, that's their road in.

Signs to look for

Scratching or running in the attic or walls after dark
Spindle-shaped droppings up to half an inch long
Half-eaten fruit on the ground with the inside hollowed out
Greasy rub marks along beams or the top of a wall
Chewed wires, AC duct insulation or irrigation lines

How they get into tile roof homes

Tile roofs have openings at the eaves where the first row of tile meets the fascia, and around vents and roof jacks. A rat can fit through a crack about half an inch wide, per UF. Other entry spots include gaps where AC line sets enter, garage door corners, and soffit vents with bent screens.

Exclusion means closing those gaps with materials rats can't chew, like sheet metal and heavy hardware cloth. UF lists 26-gauge sheet metal or 19-gauge hardware cloth with quarter-inch openings. Expect the tech to inspect the roofline, attic and garage before quoting.

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Trapping and cleanup

Most attic jobs use snap traps set along the rats' runways, often baited with fruit for roof rats. Bait for rodenticide should only go in locked stations, out of reach of kids, pets and wildlife. The provider checks traps on a schedule, removes catches, and closes the last openings once activity stops.

If rats have lived up there a while, the insulation may be packed with droppings and urine. Ask about attic cleanup and sanitizing while the provider is there.

Pick ripe fruit and clean up drops every day
Trim palms and tree limbs back from the roof
Store pet food and birdseed in sealed bins
Keep the garage door down at night

Mice in the garage

House mice show up too, mostly in garages and storage closets. They're smaller, with droppings closer to a grain of rice. The fix is the same idea: trap, then seal the gaps. Our roof rat guide has more on yard habits.

Questions people ask

Can I just put poison in the attic?

Rats that die in the walls cause odor and flies. Most pros use traps inside the living space and keep any bait in locked stations.

Will cutting the trees back fix it?

It helps a lot, but you still need to seal the openings already on the house.