Sachse, TX · Rodents
Scratching in the attic or walls at night
Scratching, scurrying or gnawing in the ceiling or walls after dark, especially from fall into winter, is usually rats or mice. Roof rats climb into attics from trees, fences and utility lines; house mice squeeze in low and work their way up through wall voids.
Texas pest control businesses are licensed by the TDA. The call carries no obligation.
How they get up there
Roof rats are excellent climbers and raise three to four litters a year. They run along fence tops, utility lines and tree branches that touch or overhang the roof, then get in through gaps at the roof edge, gable vents, soffits and where the roof meets a second-story wall.
Mice need very little. AgriLife advises sealing any gap of a quarter inch or more. On slab houses they come in under garage doors with worn seals, through weep holes and around pipes and lines entering the wall, then climb inside the walls.
The attic is a highway. Insulation is nesting material, and ductwork and wiring run straight into the living space. Gnawed wiring is one of the real risks.
What the visit involves
A technician inspects the attic, the roofline and the outside walls to find where rodents are getting in, then sets traps and seals the entry points — exclusion is what keeps them out after the current ones are removed. Expect follow-up visits to check traps.
Tell the operator
- When you hear it, and where in the house
- Whether you have found droppings, and their size
- Whether trees or fences touch the roof
- Whether you have seen chewed wiring or insulation
Say what you found and where. Call to check whether a visit is available today.
(866) 204-1244Questions people ask
Rats or mice — can I tell from the sound?
Heavier thumping and running across the attic suggests rats; light, quick scratching inside walls suggests mice. Droppings settle it: rat droppings are about half an inch long, mouse droppings about a quarter inch.
Could it be a squirrel or a raccoon?
Squirrels are usually active in the daytime, rats and mice at night. Large animals in the attic are wildlife removal, which is a different service.
Why do they show up in the fall?
Texas A&M AgriLife entomologists expect more mice indoors as the weather turns colder. As nights cool, rodents move toward warm, sheltered spaces, and attics and wall voids are ideal. The first cold fronts of the year bring a wave of calls.
Other things people find
- Winged insects swarming inside the houseDark, small, many at once near a window — then wings everywhere
- Mud lines running up the slab or the garage wallPencil-width dirt tubes on the foundation, brick or sheetrock
- Fire ant mounds popping up after rainLoose dirt mounds across the lawn, ants that swarm up and sting
- A trail of small ants across the kitchenTiny ants along the counter, sink, window or dishwasher
- Found a scorpion in the housePale yellowish scorpion in the tub, on a wall or in shoes
- A brown spider in the garage, closet or storage boxesPlain brown spider, long legs, found in boxes or clothes
- Big roaches coming up from the drain or the garageLarge reddish-brown roach in the tub, sink or garage at night
- Small roaches in the kitchen cabinetsLight-brown roaches with two dark stripes, near the sink or appliances
- Droppings in the pantry or kitchen drawersSmall dark pellets near food, under the sink or in drawers
- Waking up with bites in a line or clusterItchy bites after sleeping, dark specks on the mattress seams
- Mosquitoes make the backyard unusableBites on the patio at dusk, or even in the middle of the day
- Fleas in the house even after treating the petsBites around the ankles, tiny jumping insects in the carpet
- Pests in a house that was just builtCrickets, ants or scorpions in a home that is a year or two old
ZIP codes covered
Mostly built since 2000
Older neighborhoods, 1970s–1990s