Is It A Rat Or Mouse In Our Attic

You now are faced with the aftermath of a rodent problem in your home which could have included a mouse or rat infestation in your attic.

Is it a rat or mouse in our attic. A mouse can be a little easier to trap than a rat but using these principles it doesn t matter. But if you do all of a sudden find yourself eye to eye with a furry rodent how do you know whether it is a mouse or rat. There are two main species of rats in the us the roof rat and the norway rat. Squirrels are diurnal creatures that are most active during the day.

Once your attic is heavily infested it can be a serious battle to get rid of them. There are actually several different ways that you can determine if rats or mice have made their way into your home. Here s another point to note rats and mice are known to carry more than 30 dangerous diseases. If your skittering and scampering starts around dawn and lasts through late afternoon you probably have a squirrel on your hands.

You are probably already aware that rats are not the cleanliest of creatures that could be living in your house. Like food rodents also need a constant water source so look out for chewing around pipes. Mice can be found indoors and outdoors including cities and rural areas. Mice behave in the same way so to get rid of a mouse do the same things just be aware that they can get in even smaller holes like the size of a dime and that you need to use smaller mouse traps.

Norway rats tend to stick to the ground and the sewers and basements in their stomping grounds up north. Both the norway rat and the roof rats infest homes however it is the roof rat that tends to make nests inside attic spaces. The roof rat is more common in warm areas and more likely to enter the attic. While there are a number of pests that like to gnaw on wires and pipes rats are the worst offenders.

Rats or mice tend to breed rapidly and the attic is an ideal place for them to have babies. Safety is job number one. If you think you may have a rat living in your attic then you need to get up there and investigate further. Mice are color blind but their other senses hearing smell taste and touch are sharp.

The two most common species of rats in north america are the brown rat commonly referred to as the norway rat and the smaller black rat better know as the roof rat. Mice and rats are both types of rodents and both something that you do not want invading your home. Rat odor can be a strong deterrent to mice and affect their behavior. One of the easiest ways to discern if it s a rat or a squirrel invading your home is paying attention to the time of day the varmint is most active.

In the attic pay attention for chewed or ripped up insulation as this is a common indicator that mice have been tearing into it to make nest materials. The most obvious sign that you have rats in the attic is they will leave rat droppings all over the place. Protecting your health when cleaning up a rodent infestation in your attic. Mice are afraid of rats because rats will kill and eat mice.

You may now wonder what you need to do to clean up your attic following a mouse or rat infestation.