Roof rats, also called fruit rats or palm rats, are climbers, and in South Florida they often end up in attics. If you’re hearing scratching over the ceiling at night in Kendall, this is a good time of year to deal with it.
Why fall is a busy season in Kendall
Kendall’s mature trees, palms, canals and backyard fruit trees give roof rats food, water and cover all year. According to the University of Florida (UF/IFAS), roof rats that have been living quietly around a house make themselves known as citrus season goes on, from September through March. Hollowed-out fruit is the most common sign.
Roof rats travel along tree branches, fences and utility lines. They nest in attics, soffits, hollow walls, sheds and the skirts of old palm fronds. Branches or palms touching the roof give them a direct route inside.
Signs of roof rats in your home
- Scratching or running sounds in the ceiling or walls, usually at night
- Dark droppings about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long in the attic, garage or along walls
- Dark, greasy rub marks along beams, pipes and the edges of openings
- Gnawed wires, insulation, stored boxes or plastic pipes
- Citrus or other fruit still on the tree with a round hole and the inside hollowed out
Where they get in
Roof rats usually come in high, where the house meets their travel routes:
- Gaps along the roofline, soffits and fascia
- Roof and attic vents with damaged or missing screens
- Openings around plumbing, cable and A/C lines
- Branches and palm fronds touching or hanging over the roof
What you can do this week
- Trim trees and palms so branches and fronds don’t touch the roof, wires or fences. UF/IFAS recommends keeping fruit trees from touching fences, overhead wires and other trees.
- Pick up fallen fruit and harvest ripe fruit promptly.
- Bring pet food in at night, and store pet food and bird seed in sealed containers.
- Clear clutter next to the house, in the garage and around sheds.
- Don’t put loose bait outside. Outdoor rodent bait belongs in a tamper-resistant bait station. Loose bait can be eaten by pets and wildlife.
Why one trap rarely solves it
A female roof rat can have 4 or 5 litters a year, according to UF/IFAS. Catching one or two rats doesn’t help for long if the openings stay open and the yard keeps feeding them. That’s why rodent control works best as a plan: inspection, sealing, trapping and monitoring together.
How we handle roof rats
- Inspection. We check the roofline, soffits, vents, utility openings and, when needed, the attic, and show you where rats are getting in.
- Trapping inside. In the attic we use traps, not poison, and check them on follow-up visits.
- Sealing entry points. We close the openings we find with materials rats can’t chew through. Sealing is quoted separately after the inspection.
- Exterior bait stations. Where needed, locked, tamper-resistant stations are placed and serviced according to the product label.
- Follow-up. We come back to check traps and stations and look for new activity.
Learn more about our rodent control and exclusion service.
We’re based in Kendall, with regular routes in Kendall, Pinecrest, Palmetto Bay and Cutler Bay. Hearing noises in the attic? Call or text 786-849-8713 and tell us what you’re hearing and where.
