Identification tool
What's in My Attic? Noise Checker
Scratching overhead is not always rats or mice. Squirrels, bats and raccoons use attics too, and each one needs a different kind of help. Answer four questions about when you hear it and what you have found, and the checker points you to the most likely animal and the right next step.
Run the Checker
Pick the closest answer to each question. If you have not looked yet, choose the unsure option and come back after a night of listening and a look with a flashlight.
How the Usual Attic Animals Differ
Timing is the first clue and droppings are the best one. The table pulls together what each source says, along with who usually handles each animal.
| Animal | When it is active | What you might find | Who handles it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rats | Mostly at night1 | Noise from the attic or drop ceilings; roof rats nest in attics and wall voids1 | Rodent control |
| House mice | Mostly at night, now and then by day2 | Droppings, fresh gnaw marks, nests of shredded paper2 | Rodent control |
| Tree squirrels | Daylight, busiest early morning and late afternoon3 | Gnawed openings or broken vent screens into the attic3 | Wildlife removal |
| Bats | Out shortly after sunset; seen coming and going at dawn or dusk4 | Piles of dark droppings under the exit hole that crumble to powder4 | Bat exclusion specialist |
| Raccoons | Night; heavy movement in early evening and early morning6 | Droppings like a dog's; stains on the ceiling under toilet spots6 | Wildlife removal |
If It Is Not a Rat or a Mouse
Rat and mouse control is the wrong service for squirrels, bats and raccoons, so this page does not send those results to the call line. Here is where to start instead.
- Squirrels. Tree squirrels can get into attics through gaps or broken vent screens, and some states regulate them as game animals3. Watch the roofline in daylight to find the opening, then call a wildlife removal company.
- Bats. Do not seal anything while bats may be inside, and avoid touching them5. Florida bars evicting or excluding bats from April 16 to August 144, and other states have their own rules, so call a bat exclusion specialist or your state wildlife agency.
- Raccoons. A heavy animal moving in the early evening and early morning, with droppings like a dog's in one spot, fits a raccoon6. Do not corner or trap one yourself; call a wildlife removal company.
Sources
- Pest Notes: Rats (Publication 74106), UC Statewide IPM Program. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Pest Notes: House Mouse (Publication 7483), UC Statewide IPM Program. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Pest Notes: Tree Squirrels (Publication 74122), UC Statewide IPM Program. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Bats in Buildings, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Preventing Rabies from Bats, CDC. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- Inspecting for Raccoon Damage, Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
- How to Clean Up After Rodents, CDC. Retrieved October 15, 2026.
The checker's scoring is this site's own reading of your answers. The facts in each result come from the sources above.
Sounds Like Rats or Mice?
A call reaches a local pest pro who handles rodents. Ask about a free inspection.