7 Common Signs of Roof Rat Activity

The roof rat is the most common rodent to invade Las Vegas and Henderson homes and they can be very destructive. Roof rats, as their name indicates, like high places, building their nests outdoors in trees or block walls and indoors in attics or upper levels of the home. Roof rats are very good climbers and can get into the home by running along tree branches, cables or wires.

Roof Rat - Rattus Rattus
Roof Rat – Rattus Rattus

How Do I Know If I Have Roof Rats?

Rats are nocturnal — that is, they are most active at night — and they live in hidden areas, so you can have a major rat problem in your home even if you never see any. Because of this, you need to keep an eye – and an ear – out for signs of rodent presence. Inspect your yard and home thoroughly. If the answer to any of the following questions is yes, you may have a rat problem.

  • Do you see droppings, especially around dog or cat dishes or pet food containers?
  • Have you had visual sightings of roof rats on fences, block walls, trees or eaves?
  • Do you find hollowed citrus and other chewed fruit in your yard?
  • Do you hear scratching sounds from the attic after dusk?
  • Are your pets sometimes unsettled for no apparent reason?
  • Have you ever removed a drowned roof rat from your swimming pool?
  • Do you find dark smudge marks along block walls or outside patio areas?

Roof rat Control

Once rats have invaded your garden or landscaping, unless your house is truly rodent proof, it is only a matter of time before you find evidence of them indoors. Experience has shown it is less time consuming to control rodents before their numbers get too high, and fewer traps and less bait will be required if control is started early. Many home owners in the Las Vegas and Henderson area will often opt to hire a professional extermination company that is trained to deal with roof rats before the pesky rodents take over their home.

Resources ~ UC IPM/UCDavis: Rats

Roof Rats: A Growing Concern in Las Vegas

What are roof rats?

The roof rat (Rattus Rattus) gets its name from its tendency to be found in the upper parts of buildings. According to the Southern Nevada Health District, roof rats have been documented in the Las Vegas valley since 1990. Initial identifications were made in areas including Spanish Trails and the Scotch 80’s, and were associated with imported palm trees.

Today, however, roof rats can be found in every neighborhood across our valley. From Anthem to Centennial Hills they can often be seen at night running along overhead utility lines or block walls. They may live in trees or attics, and climb down to a food source.

Roof rats are primarily nocturnal and usually begin searching for food shortly after sunset. If the food source is in an exposed area and can’t be eaten quickly, they will carry it to a hiding place before eating it. Many rats hoard considerable amounts of solid food, which they eat later in a dismantled wood pile, attic, shed or behind boxes in a garage.

To make your home less attractive to roof rats, follow these suggestions to reduce any type of rodent infestation:

  • Caulk all holes, cracks, crevasses, or gaps (any opening larger than a nickel) on the exterior walls and underneath the eaves of       block or wood constructed homes, sheds, etc.
  • Pet doors, vents, and exterior door and window screens should be secured at night.
  • Secure garbage in proper rodent-proof containers.
  • Remove attractants such as pet foods, bird feeders, and standing water. Since these rats usually require free water, any source of water can be a strong attractant.
  • Prune shrubs so that the ground below them is clearly visible.
  • Stack firewood, lumber and other materials at least one foot away from walls and fences and at least 18 inches off the ground.
  • Eliminate or severely prune back vines growing on buildings and fences.
  • Prune trees so that the branches do not touch roofs, fences, overhead wires, or the branches of adjacent trees.
  • Prune the skirts of trees so that the branches do not hang down to the ground.

If you live in Las Vegas or Henderson and roof rats have overtaken your home or you simply want to prevent a rodent problem, we welcome you to contact us by phone or fill out our form.  No matter how large a rodent problem you may have, our trained pest control technicians can curb your existing rodent activity and ensure that these pests are not an issue in the future. 

For residential and commercial rodent control and prevention in Las Vegas and Henderson, call Western Exterminator today!