Roof Rat
Also known as black rat, fruit rat. Rattus rattus
Agile climbing rats that nest in attics, soffits and citrus trees.
Photo: no rights reserved (CC0) · public domain/CC0 · Wikimedia Commons
Slender, 13–18 cm body with a tail longer than the body, dark gray-brown fur, large ears and eyes. Excellent climbers.
Attics, soffits, wall voids, garages, and citrus and palm trees. They enter through gaps as small as a quarter.
- Scratching or scurrying in the attic or walls at night
- Dark, spindle-shaped droppings (capsule-shaped)
- Gnaw marks on wires, eaves and fruit
- Greasy rub marks along beams and pipes
Roof rats chew electrical wiring (a fire risk), contaminate food and insulation, and carry diseases and parasites. They reproduce rapidly year-round in Florida.
Rhino inspects, sets traps and tamper-resistant stations, removes the rodents, and — critically — finds and seals the entry points so the next ones can't follow. Optional attic exclusion and sanitation.
Our Rodent Control service