Rats and mice thrive year-round in Central Florida, and they’re always looking for food, water, and shelter. Unfortunately, your home offers all three.
Strange scratching sounds in the middle of the night, tiny dark pellets behind the fridge, and gnaw marks on pantry boxes are all signs of rodents in your house.
Rats and mice can damage your property, contaminate your food, and even put your family’s health at risk. So in this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about spotting signs of mice and signs of rats.
Signs You Have a Mouse or Rat in Your House
- Droppings: Mice or rat droppings are often found in areas where these pests travel or feed.
- Scratching and Scurrying Noises: These noises are often louder at night because mice and rats are nocturnal.
- Gnaw Marks and Damage: Rodents have teeth that never stop growing, so they constantly need to gnaw on things to keep them worn down.
- Nesting Materials: Mice and rats build nests using soft materials they find around your home.
- Strange Smells: If you notice persistent strange smells, especially in enclosed areas like cabinets or closets, it’s time to investigate further.
- Grease and Rub Marks: Rats and mice have oily fur that leaves marks on surfaces they frequently travel along.
- Tracks and Footprints: In dusty areas, you might be able to spot tiny footprints or tail marks left behind by rodents.
- Sightings: Sometimes the answer to “how do I know if I have a rodent?” is simple: you see one!
Where to Look
How to know if you have mice in your house often comes down to checking the right spots:
Kitchen and Pantry Areas
- Behind and under appliances
- Inside cabinets (especially lower ones)
- Near trash cans
- Around pet food storage
Attic and Roof Spaces
- Insulation for damage or nesting
- Corners and edges of the attic
- Around roof vents and entry points
- Near stored boxes and items
Basement and Crawl Spaces
- Droppings along walls and in corners
- Gnaw marks on stored items
- Nesting materials in secluded spots
- Entry points around pipes and utility lines
Garage and Storage Areas
- Behind storage shelves
- Inside boxes, especially cardboard ones
- Near water sources like water heaters
- Around exterior walls and doors
Inside Walls and Ceilings
- Grease marks near small holes or cracks
- Droppings along baseboards
- Damaged insulation visible from attic access
- Gnaw marks around pipes where they enter walls
Outdoor Areas
- Around your home’s foundation
- Near garbage storage areas
- In dense vegetation close to the house
- Around outdoor pet feeding stations
Ready for pest, lawn, or sprinkler service?
Ready for qualified professionals to help keep your home, business, or lawn in pristine condition?
Mice vs. Rats: How Can You Tell the Difference?
Mice are curious and will explore new things in their environment. They have smaller bodies that are three to four inches long (not including the tail) with small feet, pointed snouts, and larger ears. Also, their droppings are rice-sized with pointed ends.
Rats are more cautious and may avoid new objects, including traps. Their bodies are larger at seven to ten inches long (not including their tails), with thicker, scaly tails, larger feet, blunt snouts, and smaller ears. Rat droppings are raisin-sized with blunt ends.
What to Do If You Find Droppings
Finding droppings is gross and alarming, but here’s what you should do:
- Don’t touch them, especially with your bare hands.
- Document what you find, preferably by taking pictures.
- Clean them up safely with gloves on, spraying disinfectants, and wiping up with paper towels.
- Inspect for more signs of activity.
- Call the professionals.
When to Call a Professional
Here are clear signs that it’s time to call the professionals:
- Evidence of rodents in multiple rooms or areas
- Persistent problem despite DIY efforts
- Signs of gnawing on electrical wires
- Strange smells indicating dead rodents in walls
- Large amounts of droppings
- Actual sightings during daylight hours
- Health concerns in your household
- Property damage from rodent activity
At Sorko Lawn and Pest Control, we understand how unpleasant a rodent problem can be. That’s why our team goes above and beyond to provide rodent control services, including removal, exclusion, and prevention.
Take Action Against Rodents
At Sorko Lawn and Pest Control, we’ve been helping Central Florida homeowners protect their homes and families from rodent infestations for over 32 years.
Rats and mice are opportunistic survivors, and our local climate gives them everything they need to thrive year-round. That’s why our team treats every customer with full respect and understanding.
So call us today to schedule your inspection!
Back to Rodent Control