Wake County, Raleigh Rat Control Situation:
How can I tell if I have rats or mice hanging out in my walls/attic? We haven't found any signs of anything getting into the main part of the house, but every once in a while we hear them scurrying around in one spot. We only hear them in the evening, and we haven't heard them very often (tonight is the first time I have noticed them in two weeks, but I'm also not home every evening). First we thought it was mice, but I am starting to worry that they might be rodents nesting for the winter. I checked outside and couldn't find any visible entry points, nor any footprints on the roof. I also looked under the roof overhang on that side of the house and there are no holes there. I can't tell if I am hearing squirrel chirping or mouse squeaking--it's almost a squeak-like chirp (real helpful, I know). If we can't find any holes for them to get in, it makes me think mice, but if we haven't seen any signs of them in the house and only hear them in one spot, it makes me think squirrels. Whatever it is has had access to this spot for quite some time, so if they are rats, I think we need to act ASAP, as per the damage reports I've seen on websites. Any and all advice you have to diagnose what we are dealing with would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for your help! - Kristin
My response: Sounds like mouse or rat activity to me. Squirrels are active in the daytime, and people usually hear a lot of morning noise. If you inspect the attic, you can tell by the droppings left behind.
Raleigh Rat Control Tip of The Week
What Surfaces Are Rats Able To Climb?
Discovering rodents on your rooftop or in your attic may surprise you. These are places that are, to some degree, difficult to reach and require some uncommon climbing capacity. For rodents, however, that isn't that difficult to manage. Rats are astonishing climbers. They can climb anything. If there is something to hold on to, they can climb it. To get to food and water and their home, they will climb anything. From trees to blocks to stone, they will climb it. This implies they can get into pretty much anything. It doesn't make a difference if it is an opening at base level or in the rooftop, they can get to it.
Extraordinary Climbers
Most rodents are good climbers. Squirrels, mice, rats, and other rodents can climb pretty much anything. It is of nothing unexpected to individuals who see them frequently; however, the degree of their climbing capacity despite everything is surprising to a few. Climbing trees, plants, and anything with a good foothold is no problem. They can snatch on and climb any of that to get to where they need to go. A lot of people expect this as they see it often in rodents like squirrels.
What It Means For You
It is impressive, however, it tends to be a real torment for homeowners. Since rodents are astounding climbers, they can get into any place. If there is an opening anyplace in your home, rodents can arrive at it. They get into these openings and make their homes in a matter of moments, causing chaos. This is why extra care is required when it comes to sealing any potential holes. Since rodents can fit through even tiny spaces, you want to limit their options.
