Rats at home: how to spot them, tell Norway rats from roof rats, trap them properly and keep them out

Rat or mouse: how to tell

The answer changes the traps, the gap sizes and often who you call. If you have mice, our guide to getting rid of mice is the one to follow.

Norway rat vs roof rat

Knowing the species tells you where to look and where to trap.

Both are mostly active at night and wary of anything new, roof rats even more so, which is why traps can sit untouched for days and why pre-baiting matters.

Signs of rats in the house and garden

• Droppings near food, pet bowls, recycling bins and in quiet corners of attics, crawl spaces and sheds. Fresh droppings are dark; old ones fade and crumble.
• Gnawing on wood, plastic, wiring, insulation and fruit or nuts.
• Rub marks: dark, greasy smears along walls, pipes, beams, rafters and fences where fur brushes past. Fresh marks smear; old ones dry and fade.
• Runways: worn paths through grass or footprints in dust, used night after night.
• Burrows under garbage cans, compost bins, sheds, decks, doghouses and among garden plants.
• Noises of scratching and scurrying in attics, ceilings or walls at night.
• Other clues: rats on fence tops or utility lines at dusk, a musty smell, shredded nests, or pets bringing in dead rats.

A quick test of whether activity is current: clean an area thoroughly, then check it the next day. New droppings mean rats are still active.

Rat trapping: how to trap rats properly

Snap traps are the safest, most effective option for most homes, and CDC recommends them over glue and live traps.

1. 01

   Buy rat-sized traps

   Rat traps are stronger than mouse traps; mouse traps rarely kill a rat. Plan on a dozen or more for a busy infestation.

2. 02

   Find the runways

   Follow the droppings, rub marks and burrows. Rats keep to walls, edges and cover.

3. 03

   Place traps for your species

   For Norway rats, put them on the floor along walls, behind objects and in dark corners, at a right angle to the wall with the trigger end almost touching it, or in pairs side by side. For roof rats, set them off the ground on ledges, shelves, beams, pipes, fence tops or branches, fixed in place so they cannot fall.

4. 04

   Space them out

   About 10 to 20 feet apart along the routes.

5. 05

   Bait lightly

   A pea-sized amount of peanut butter, nuts, dried fruit, bacon or dry pet food tied to the trigger.

6. 06

   Pre-bait for a few days

   Leave the traps baited but unset until the rats take the bait several times. If bait goes from every trap, add more traps and repeat. Then bait and set them all on the same night.

7. 07

   Check every day

   Remove dead rats promptly. Keep traps out for at least 15 days, refreshing the bait weekly, and leave a few in the attic as an early warning.

8. 08

   Protect children, pets and birds

   Put traps in boxes, behind barriers or in spaces they cannot reach. Setting traps at night only reduces the risk to birds outdoors.

Traps to avoid

• Glue boards: CDC advises against them, as trapped rodents panic and urinate, raising the infection risk. Never use them outdoors, where birds and other wildlife get stuck.
• Live traps: not recommended for homeowners. In California, for example, a trapped rat must legally be killed or released immediately where it was caught, and release is discouraged.
• Ultrasonic devices, peppermint oil, ammonia, vinegar and mothballs: rats get used to sounds, and smells fade fast and can put rats off your traps.

How to keep rats out

Trapping clears the rats you have; sealing keeps new ones out. Do it as soon as catches drop, and repeat every year.

Materials matter. Rats chew through plastic, foam, wood, rubber and caulk on its own, so expanding foam is only a finishing layer over metal. Avoid lightweight chicken wire.

For roof rats, also cut back tree branches overhanging the roof (UC IPM suggests clearing 3 to 6 feet), thin climbing ivy, jasmine and honeysuckle on walls and fences, and ask the utility company or a professional about rats running along overhead lines.

Rats in the garden: food and shelter

Rats in the yard (the garden, in British English) come for food and stay for shelter. Remove both and trapping works faster.

• Fallen fruit and nuts: pick them up daily in season.
• Pet food: feed only what pets finish at one meal, store it in metal or rigid plastic bins and bring bowls in at night. Clean up pet droppings.
• Bird feeders: place them away from the house, use guards and clear spilled seed.
• Garbage and compost: use bins with tight lids, in metal or thick rigid plastic, and keep compost bins well away from the house; CDC suggests 100 feet where space allows.
• Woodpiles and lumber: stack them off the ground, at least a foot up, and as far from the house as you can.
• Dense plants: trim shrubs and grass near the house and keep plantings from touching walls.

Active burrows under a deck, shed or the house itself are a job for a professional.

Rat poison and bait stations: what to know

Poison is a tool for persistent infestations, not a first step.

• Consumer rules (US): EPA allows consumer rat baits only as ready-to-use bait stations holding blocks or paste, built to resist tampering by young children and dogs. Loose pellets are banned for consumers, and the strongest second-generation anticoagulants (such as brodifacoum and bromadiolone) are limited to professionals.
• Read the placement on the label: some stations are for indoor use only, others also for outdoors within 50 feet of a building.
• Pets: dogs suffer most pet poisonings, and eating a single poisoned rat may be enough to harm one.
• Wildlife: predators and scavengers that eat poisoned rats, or the bait itself, can be poisoned too; the strongest anticoagulants persist in animal tissue.
• Dead rats in walls: poisoned rats can die inside voids, where you cannot reach them. Seal entry points before baiting outdoors so they die outside.
• Afterwards: remove uneaten bait and collect dead rats with gloves.

Rules on rodenticides vary by state; California, for example, prohibits most anticoagulant baits. Smoke and gas cartridges are unsuitable for use near homes because of the fire and toxic smoke risk.

When to call pest control or the council

• Rats are inside living areas, walls or ceilings, or you hear them most nights.
• There are burrows under the house, a deck or a garden building.
• Trapping and sealing for two to three weeks has not stopped new signs.
• You cannot find or reach the entry points, for example on the roof.
• Baits look necessary, especially with children, pets or wildlife nearby.

A good company inspects first, shows you the entry points and runways, and explains where traps or bait stations go. Ask about exclusion work, not just baiting.

In England and Wales, start with your local council: GOV.UK has a postcode tool to find out whether your council provides pest control for rats. Check what your council's service covers before you book.

Sources

Government and university guidance, checked on 27 October 2026.

• University of California IPM · Rats ↗Norway and roof rat identification, behavior, signs, gnaw marks, exclusion, sanitation, trap placement, pre-baiting, glue traps, rodenticides, pet risks and devices that fail.
• NC State Extension · Structure-invading rats ↗Dropping size and number, rub marks, 1/4-inch and 1/2-inch gaps, sealing materials, foam, door clearance, rat-sized traps, neophobia and repellents.
• CDC · How to trap up to remove rodents ↗Snap traps, avoiding glue and live traps, placement, pre-baiting, daily checks, 15 days of trapping, baits only for persistent infestations.
• CDC · How to seal up to prevent rodents ↗Where to check, sealing materials, woodpiles, compost bins and garbage cans.
• US EPA · Restrictions on rodenticide products ↗Consumer bait stations, the pellet ban, second-generation anticoagulants and indoor or outdoor labels.
• NHS · Leptospirosis ↗How rat urine spreads infection, symptoms and ways to lower the risk.
• GOV.UK · Report a pest problem to your council ↗Council pest control services for rats in England and Wales.