Roof Rat Control

Roof Rat Control

Most Effective Products

Solutions Pro Glue Board - Peanut Butter Scent
Glue Trap
As low as $0.42
Eratication Rodent Bait
Wax Block
As low as $32.99
Solutions Rat & Mouse Bait Station
Station
As low as $18.99
Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh Exclusion
Ready-To-Use
As low as $10.99
Solutions Easy Set Rat Trap
Snap Trap
As low as $3.99

Roof Rat Control: How To Get Rid of Roof Rats

This page is a general Roof Rat control guide. Using the products and methods suggested you will get control of Roof Rats. Follow this guide and use the recommended products and we guarantee 100% control of Roof Rats.

Roof Rats infestations can happen to homes and businesses.

Roof Rats have a slender body and weight about 11 to 14 ounces. Their fur is generally grayish in color. They have pointed noses, as opposed to Norway Rats which have blunted noses. They have large eyes and large ears.

Roof Rats are often above in high places, like tree lines, and in fence rows. They can occupy both rural and suburban areas, as usually find shelter high up in structures in second stories or in attics.

Roof Rats enter structures in search of food and shelter. In some instances, they may harbor and nest in one property, and feed or look for food sources in another one. The winter and the cold months might drive them indoors to escape the weather.

Roof Rats like all rodents are capable of transmitting a number of diseases including murine typhus, salmonellosis, plague, among others. They also carry fleas and ticks which can be transferred to human and pets, and with their chewing habits can wreak havoc on wiring, which could lead to house fires.

Identification

Identification is the first step in control. Before you can treat you need to make sure you're dealing with Roof Rats. Below we'll describe some common traits that set Roof Rats apart from other rodents.

  • Can weight anywhere from 11 to 14 ounces.
  • Their fur is usually grey but could vary.
  • They have long hairless tails.
  • They have pointed noses, unlike Norway Rats who have blunted noses.
  • Have large eyes and ears. The ears, unlike Norway Rats, are big and long.

Use the image and description above to confirm that you are dealing with a roof rat in and around your home. If unsure, then contact us with a photo of the pest and signs of activity through email, phone, or in-person at one of our store locations.

Inspection

Rodent Droppings

Inspection is the second step in control. Before you can apply the treatment you need to know the areas that roof rats are infesting in your home. During the inspection, you will focus on finding these problem areas where roof rat activity is occurring and where you will need to apply treatment.

Where To Inspect

Start your inspection indoors, search in the kitchen, bathrooms, attics, basements, and even in the garage. Roof Rats will be found primarily in second story rooms of the home and most likely in the attic, but inspect your first floor rooms as well, as they tend to travel to these areas. In your kitchen, look inside pantries, cabinets, shelves, in the ones at ground level and the ones high up near the ceiling. In the garage, attic, and basement, search around the baseboards, move storage items around, and look for cracks and crevices, or holes in the walls.

In your yard, search around yard debris, around rocks, logs, wood piles, and in leaf litter. Search the foundation of your structure and in the lawn and backyard for burrows, close to bird feeders, and close to fruit-bearing trees.

What To Look For 

You're looking for Roof Rat activity. This includes looking for chewed openings, smear marks, feces or droppings, foul smells (like urine), and the roof rats themselves. In that attic look for smear marks (or oily or greasy marks that might have fur attached to them) in the baseboards, looked for chewed insulation, look for foul smells, and the droppings themselves which will be 3/4 of an inch long and have blunted ends. In the kitchen look for chewed packages, or smear marks alongside cabinets, shelves, and in the baseboards of the kitchen. Look in the second floor of your home inspection for all these signs. At night, listen carefully to your home, many times you will hear the Roof Rats moving around in your attic or throughout your home.

In the yard, look for passageways in the lawn, which will be marked by compressed grass that created runways for roof rats to move through. Although roof rats commonly nest in attics and high up above the ground, they have also been observed to create burrows near woodpiles, rocks, logs, and under leaf litter so inspect your yard for possible burrows or holes in the yard.

Once you have identified all the areas where you found roof rat activity this is where you will apply the treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed Roof Rat activity it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels and follow the application instructions on these labels, and stay safe by wearing personal protective equipment (PPE).

Walk around the perimeter of your home and inspect for any openings, cracks, crevices, or gaps. Fill these areas with caulk and Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh as this will deter roof rats from gnawing or scratching. 

Step 1: Outdoor Bait Treatment

Rodent Bait Station Against Foundation

Since most Roof Rats invade from the outside, this is where you will begin treatment. You will use two products Solutions Rodent Bait Stations, and Eratication Rodent Bait Blocks. Eratication is a rodenticide that mimics food, but is actually poison, due to its unique bait matrix the Roof Rats will feed on the bait repeatedly until they ingest a lethal dose. The Solutions Bait Stations will be used to protect your bait blocks from the weather and to protect pets, and non-targeted wildlife from infesting the bait.

Before handling any of these products make sure to wear gloves, safety glasses, and a face mask. By wearing this protective gear, you will reduce the chances of leaving your scent on the traps, which may drive away Roof Rats. To use, simply open the bait stations with the key that comes with the product.

You will then place 4 to 6 Eratication Rodent Bait Blocks on the metal rods inside the bait station, and then you will close the station. Then, you will place the bait stations close to areas where you have noticed Roof Rat activity.

We suggest using two bait stations with 6 blocks each separated by 15 to 30 feet.

Check your bait stations often, and make sure to replace any eaten or chewed bait blocks. Replace them even if they have been partly chewed or eaten. Keep replacing the bait blocks until you notice there are no longer signs of feeding.

Step 2: Indoor Treatment

roof rat traps treatment

Now you're ready to apply treatment indoors. You will use three different products Easy Set Rat Traps By using three different methods of control you will increase your chances of successfully exterminating your Roof Rat infestation. For severe infestations, you might need numerous traps.

Solutions Professional Rat/Mouse Glue Tray

Before handling this product make sure to wear gloves. This is to reduce the likelihood of leaving your scent of the traps, which will discourage roof rats from approaching the product. Place the traps near entry points to the garage or attic against walls, as roof rats are prone to traveling alongside walls. You can even place a very small amount of peanut butter (pea-size drop) in the middle of the glue board to attract roof rats to the tray. We recommend using at least 2 traps per treatment area for better coverage.

Easy Set Snap Traps

Again, remember to wear gloves, face mask, and safety glasses when handling the snap traps, this reduces the likelihood of leaving your scent, which will make the roof rats avoid the trap. Place them next to walls, and against baseboards, making sure the trigger (or the area that activates the trap) is facing the wall. For even better results, place a small amount of peanut butter in the middle of the trap. Generally, we recommend using two snap traps for roof rat infestations.

Prevention

roof rats prevention

Once you have eliminated roof rats from your property, you will want to make sure they do not return. With the following preventative methods you can ensure roof rats do not come back to your home:

  • Start by trimming and cutting tree branches that touch your roof. These branches are ideal passageways for roof rats to get access to your property, and many times the reason why you're facing an infestation. Also cut down groundcover, vines, or vegetation, that touches the foundation of your structure, many times this vegetation offers them a foothold to the walls of your property and they may use them to climb to the roof.
  • Seal and close off any cracks, crevices, openings, slits, or holes found on the foundation of your structure with caulk and Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh which will give them access into your home.
  • Make sure chimneys and vents have screens and do not provide Roof Rats with access to your property.
  • Practice good hygiene and maintain a regular cleaning schedule. Take out the garbage daily, don't leave water bowl of pet food overnight, pick up and food crumbs and spills as soon as they happen, and clean your dishes and leave no food supplies in the sink. In the yard get rid of bird feeders, which with time and as the seeds fall down, will give roof rats with a steady supply of food.
  • Grid of woodpiles, yard debris, leaf litter, logs, rocks, stones, and general clutter in your yard which can create harborage areas for roof rats.

Key Takeaways

What is a Roof Rat?

  • Roof rats are common species of rodents that prefer to infest in elevated places such as roofs, trees, and attics. Other names for roof rats are house rat, ship rat, black rat, white-bellied rats, or tree rat.

How to Get Rid of Roof Rats

  • To get rid of roof rats, you will need to seal any openings, gaps, and crevices around your structure with Stuf-Fit Copper-Mesh. Once this is done, you will then use baits such as Eratication Rodent Bait within a tamper-proof station like Solutions Rat and Mouse Bait Station around your homes exterior foundation. Indoors, you will use trapping techniques with glue traps and snap traps.

Preventing Roof Rat Reinfestation

  • Prevent roof rats from returning with on-going repairs to cracks, crevices, and gaps with caulk. For larger voids, you will need to fill with Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh. You will also need to prune any overgrown tree and shrub branches to limit travel pathways for roof rats.
Questions and Answers
No Question Found
Page
  1. Size:
    SOLUTIONS
    Eratication Rodent Bait
    $32.99 - $32.99
  2. Size:
  3. Size:
    SOLUTIONS
    Stuf-Fit Copper Mesh Exclusion
    $10.99 - $39.99
  4. Size:
    SOLUTIONS
    Heavy Duty Black Nitrile Gloves
    $12.99 - $14.99
  5. Size:
    SOLUTIONS
    Solutions Easy Set Rat Trap
    $3.99 - $3.99
  6. Size:
  7. Size:
    V.M. PRODUCTS
    EZ Klean Rodent Bait Stations
    $17.99 - $17.99
  8. Size:
    LIPHA TECH
    Generation Mini Blocks
    $112.00 - $112.00
  9. Size:
  10. Size:
  11. Size:
    BELL LABS
    Trapper Glue Boards
    $2.40 - $8.07
  12. Size:
  13. Size:
  14. Size:
  15. Size:
    PELGAR
    Monark SB Soft Bait Rodenticide
    $144.95 - $144.95
  16. Size:
    NEOGEN
    Surekill Command Blocks
    $99.20 - $99.20
Page
© 2024 Solutions Pest & Lawn. All Rights Reserved