Rats are nocturnal creatures that live in houses. They can climb pretty much anything, even a bare wall. Because they are active at night, when they exit and re-enter your house in their
nightly search for water and food, you will probably hear them. You can also hear running and scratching sounds as they go about your business in your attic or ceiling. You might hear rats running
up the walls making pitter-patter sounds, or scampering noises. The noise can sound light, or it can actually sound surprisingly loud. I have analyzed the sounds of some other rodents and critters
below, to help you differentiate. The sound from mice making noise at night in the attic is very similar, only ligther, because the animal is smaller. But the thickness of the drywall, the insulation,
the house acoustics, can all play a role in the volume of the noise you hear.
Are you hearing any noises in the attics or in the walls either during the day or at night? If yes, chances are that you have an uninvited guest into your home and there is no need to panic because most of them are not life threatening. Most of the animals that cause these noises are rodents like mice, rats, squirrels and maybe raccoons.
There is always a good reason as to why they are in the attics, most of them move into our homes because they are searching for food, shelter, protecting their young ones and they need the comfort zone. There are also instances where you are likely to hear
scratching noises and it can either be during the day or at night. But the majority of the time, rats will make sounds at night.
Rats and Mice
You are probably here because you know you have mice or rats in your house, and you are hearing rat sounds at night. This site has everything you could want to know about solving a rat problem. The two best options are to either
do it yourself with my step-by-step guide, or to hire a pro from my list of professional rodent control experts
serving over 150 US cities and towns.
Rats are the most common noise distracters in our homes and you will definitely hear them scratching the walls. They are active especially at night and you will hear them scratching and producing sounds that are known to be very irritating. These sounds indicate that they are up to something especially searching for food and left over. When the nights are cold, they will also produce these sounds because they are in need of warm shelter. Rats and mice have proven to be the naughtiest rodents and it is not very easy to get rid of them. Once they settle into your home. Once they settle in comfortably they will make it their permanent dwelling and become part of your family but indirectly.
Raccoon noises in the attic
Raccoons are very witty but they are very notorious in that in most cases they get stuck in the attics. When this happens be sure that you will not have the most peaceful night because of the loud noises that they make in the middle of the night. They will crawl into the attics in broad daylight when they are searching for food and shelter and when they find the comfort zone, they will settle in. they are prone to make noises while running to and fro I the ceiling of your home or a times they will just scratch the drywall for fun. Since they are the most uncomfortable animal to spend the night with especially when they are stuck, it is important to ensure that you check the attic before dusk. If they are present, you should get rid of them in the proper manner without hurting them or you can call the experts who can help you out. In addition you have to ensure that the walls of the house are well built.
Bat scratching in the attics or walls
Bats can also get into the house via small holes and get stuck in the walls or the attics. If this is the case, you will hear scratching and squeaking noises especially at night when everything is calm. The scratching sounds that they make are usually very annoying and to be on the safer side you have to ensure that you come up with the best solution of getting rid of them. Identifying the sounds in the walls and attics is important because it will help you come up with the best solution. If there are bats, you will definitely here scratching, squeaking and scurrying sounds.
Birds
At times, birds also get trapped in the walls of the house and it occurs when they are searching for the most comfortable position to build their own nests. By bad luck they get stuck into the walls and you will hear flapping, chirping and scratching sounds in an attempt to break free. They use their claws to scratch the walls and the wings to flap on the walls when struggling. You will hear the sounds early in the morning because it is the time when they rise in search for food. When you hear these noises try and free the birds and you also have to be gentle in case they are hurt. You can also seek for professional help and they can gladly relocate the birds back to their nests.
Squirrels
These rodents are the greatest invaders and they are known to enter homes and form their permanent resident in the attics and other areas that are deemed to be comfortable. They are not usually scared because they will make most of their noises in broad day light. You will hear them scratching, jumping and scurrying in the ceiling and in the attics. Moreover they are not scared of the humans and they will run up and down the yard. They also make excessive noises especially when they are entering or exiting their new habitats in such of food and while taking care of their young ones. They also make noises at night if they are uncomfortable. You can therefore contact the relevant authorities to help you get rid of them or you can do it yourself but cautiously.
THE SAME APPLIES TO MOUSE REMOVAL
Although I wrote this site with rats in mind, such as the Roof Rat and
Norway Rat, the same principles apply to other rodents, such as the
house mouse. Mice behave very similarly to rats, they're just smaller, but they can also make scratching sounds in the attics or walls.
Email me if you have any questions about mouse removal, how to remove
mice, rodent removal, other queries.
What kind of noises and sounds do rats make when they live in your house?
There's a very good chance that you'll hear of an animal invasion before you spot any signs of one. It'll be strange noises that often encourages homeowners to investigate, and it is only once you start investigating that you realise obvious the signs actually were. This is even the case with small rodents, such as rats and mice.
The rats themselves will make noises too, often squeaking, hissing and chattering to one another. These are usually noises that young rats would make when calling for their mother, but can also indicate a frightened or cornered rat.
If you think you have heard an animal in your home, whether it is a rat or otherwise, it's time to take a closer look. If you ignore the problem, it'll get bigger and bigger. One rat will have babies, and you'll soon have many rats on your hands, and a whole bunch of damage too. Ruined attic insulation is the least of your worries, there's chewed wiring and the fire hazard to worry about on top of that, and any exterior repair works too. Rat removal is an expensive business if you get it wrong.
Go back to the Rats in the Attic home page.
