The first and most crucial thing is to inspect the house and find all possible entry holes and before starting any trapping carry out repairs and seal the attic so the rats can t get in again.
How to find rats in the attic.
When rats make a nest in a wall or attic you may start to smell a musky odor from the oil in a rats fur and as urine droplets build up over time.
You are probably already aware that rats are not the cleanliest of creatures that could be living in your house.
Once rats find an entryway into your home they ll chew through wires ducts and insulation until they find refuge in your attic.
Inspect your attic to verify the rats and the level of infestation and areas of high activity inspect every inch of the outside of your home or building to find rat entry points pay attention from ground to roof including all vents pipe entry gaps in the architecture etc.
Seal all gaps with steel leading anywhere into the house.
The most obvious sign that you have rats in the attic is they will leave rat droppings all over the place.
Your best option is to enter the attic and sniff sniff sniff around until you find a rat and then bag it and spray the area with an effective cleaner.
Don t leave out pet food or open garbage cans.
The only other option is a thermal camera because a rotting rat will give off a little heat.
The average rat will poop approximately 40 50 small round pellets per day emitting a foul smell throughout your home over time.
The reason it s common to find rats in the attic is because of a particular breed of rat called the roof rat or black rat.
Also carry out a visual examination of the attic to find the holes they were using to get in and out of the attic.
4 a rats nest rats will shred paper or plastic material to help build a nest.
A pet cat or two might help.
Bird feeders can attract rats as can fruit trees.
Now safe in your attic the rats will now grow mate and poop a lot.
These animals like to live in trees and are prone to climbing.
Living in an attic is a relatively natural thing for them and it has some advantages including access to human food safety from predation and shelter from the weather.
If you suspect you have rats in the attic the first step is to inspect your entire home.
Listen for scurrying feet and squeaks especially at night and look out for traces of droppings usually grouped in a corner and signs of scratching and chew marks which are all indications that you have rodents in the attic.
Eliminate debris such as garbage or compost piles on the property.
Here are the 11 steps to get rid of rats in the attic.