If I have one rat, are there more?

If you have mice, it will be hard to know exactly how many are in the area. The rats are normally active throughout the entire year and they are mostly active during the night and not during the day. However, there are many times when they may be seen around any time of the day. It may be because of weather conditions, construction work that may be going on, when they get hungry, or if there are too many in the place.

There are a few tips that can help you to understand if you have a few rats or if they are in large number.

When you have a small number of rats in a place, then one sign that you may see is a burrowing entrance that has a small diameter of four inches.

When there is moderate rat trouble, you will find droppings and gnaw marks on wood and other places in the house. You can also pay closer attention during the night to see if there is any sound which can be coming from the attic. This will let you know when there is rat movement or when the rats are searching for food in an active way. They may also be building a nesting place.

When you have a large rodent infestation, you will start to see some gnaw marks together with the droppings from such critters. The gnaw markings may be found on surfaces, the floor and the rafters within the ceiling, electrical wires, siding of the home and the ventilation ducts. You can also hear the active behavior or the scurrying sounds from the walls and ceilings.

When you go in the attic during the night with a flashlight, it can help in spotting the eyes of the rats. Even if the rats are nocturnal, if it is a big infestation, you may start to see the rats during the day.

Go back to the How to Get Rid of Rats page or email us if you have any other questions about If I have one rat, are there more?