Rats: Warning Signs and Activity

Rats - 101

Rats are widespread in DFW – in fact, we are the 10th rattiest city in America. We have no choice but to be on high alert for these furry friends as they’ll nest and reproduce at a high rate and carry a number of diseases.

The Warning Signs

Signs Inside your Home

Signs Outside your Home

Keep your Home free from Rats

Learn More About Our

Rat Removing Service

Recognizing the Warning Signs of Rats & Mice

Rodents are the most common wildlife we see in Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex homes by far. They do not necessarily cause as extensive of damage as larger pests that may enter your home, but from a sanitation perspective, rats and mice can be a huge hazard to you and your family’s health and wellbeing. On this page, we’re going to review the obvious warning signs that you’re dealing with a rodent infestation and how the Critter Stop team goes the extra mile to not just get rid of the rodents, but also to sanitize and restore your home. If you have questions or you’re ready to get started working with Critter Stop to remove rodents or other wildlife from your home in Southlake, Grapevine, Colleyville, Keller, or other locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, give us a call today.

What You'll See Inside the Home

If you are dealing with a rodent infestation, you will see a number of common warning signs, including:

Droppings

Droppings are the most obvious warning sign. Unlike some other animals that pick specific areas to create latrines, rodents leave droppings everywhere.

Grease Spots

These are the areas where rats and mice will go back and forth across your home nesting, sitting, and leaving urine and fluids behind them.

Not as Quiet as a Mouse

You will likely hear squeaking sounds or skittering noises when rats and mice are in your home.

Chewing

You will see signs of chewing on food containers, walls, wires, and other areas.

Nesting

Rats Build Nests, But You May Not See These As They Are Often Hidden Under Floors, In Attics, Or Inside The Walls.

Rats Nuisance Problems

Rats Noises

Rats are relatively quiet animals, but they do make various noises for communication and in certain situations. Here are some common rat noises:

Squeaking or Chirping: Rats often emit high-pitched squeaks or chirps, especially when they are young or in distress. These noises can indicate excitement, fear, or pain.
Hissing or Hissing/Growling: Rats may hiss when they feel threatened or agitated. This noise serves as a warning to potential predators or other rats to stay away. Sometimes, rats may combine hissing with low growling sounds to display aggression.
Bruxing: Bruxing is the grinding of teeth that rats do as a form of self-soothing or contentment. It produces a soft grinding or clicking sound and is usually a sign that the rat is feeling relaxed and comfortable.
Chirping or Chattering: Rats may chirp or chatter quietly as a form of communication with other rats. This noise can be heard during social interactions or when rats are exploring their environment.
Scratching or Rustling: While not vocalizations, the sounds of rats scratching or rustling can often be heard as they move around in their habitat or nest. This noise is caused by their sharp claws as they climb or dig.
Ultrasonic Vocalizations: Rats also produce ultrasonic vocalizations that are beyond the range of human hearing. These high-frequency sounds are used for communication between rats and can convey information about their social status, reproductive readiness, or distress.

Understanding these noises can help rat owners interpret their pets' behavior and emotions. Additionally, it's important to note that wild rats may make similar noises, but they are often more cautious and secretive compared to their domestic counterparts.

What You'll See Outside the Home

Rats and mice will enter your home by making the traditional “Tom & Jerry” mouse house holes. In most cases, you’ll see these in the roof returns, also called the eaves. It’s important to remember that mouse holes are not going to be big. If you can squeeze a finger into the hole, the odds are good that a mouse or rat can fit in it as well. Because of their small size and hidden location, you will not likely notice the rodent entryways unless there are also warnings inside the home.

Our 4 Step Process

Free Inspection

Critter Stop offers free in-home consultations to build custom solutions to your problems. We inspect your home thoroughly, inside and out, for signs of damage, animal entry, animal nesting, droppings, and more. Once we discuss the extent of the problem and what needs to be done to fix it, we’ll document a game plan together.

Seal Your Home

Sealing your home immediately is our priority. The exclusion team will thoroughly patch up potential entry sites from the roof to the foundation and everywhere in between. Once we’re sure no other rodents are getting in, we’ll set our traps in those areas we suspect animal activity.

Remove The Critters

Our technicians will check in on your home several times throughout this process. If game cameras have been set up, we’ll review those with you to discuss the animal activity. Once the traps are cleared, we will reset them and re-evaluate all the sealed points of entry to ensure no critter has re-chewed a hole or found a new way into your property.

Restoring and Sanitizing rodent droppings

Restore & Sanitize

We don’t call it a job well done once the pest is gone. There’s more work to be done! We completely restore your affected area by pulling up and replacing damaged insulation. Additionally, we fog the affected area to disinfect and remove animal pheromones that can attract new pests in the future.

“I used Critter Stop due to rats and squirrels in my attic. They also chewed up siding on the house to get in. Critter Stop was able to remove the rodents and secure the entry points. Everyone I dealt with was very polite and professional. They were able to come out quickly, communicated well, and they always showed up on time. I would use them again.”

Jeff L. via Google

Critter Stop's 4 Step Process to Keep Your Home Rodent Free

At Critter Stop, we offer DFW Metroplex homeowners a four-step rodent removal process that will seal access points, completely rid your home of an infestation, sanitize, and create barriers to keep rodents and wildlife away from your home. If you want to learn more about our sealing, trapping, sanitizing, and outdoor control process, check out our rodent and wildlife removal page. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have questions or want to find out more. We provide free estimates!

RaT Quick Links

What Does The Kangaroo Rat Eat? A Comprehensive Guide

Why You May Need a Rat Removal Service

What is the Difference Between a Mouse and a Rat

Types of Rats in Texas

How Big Can Rats Grow?

Do Rats Burrow Underground?

How to Get Rid of Rats in Wall?

What Do Rats Eat?

Effective Yet Simple Methods of Rat Control

How to Clean Rat Droppings in Your Attic

Commercial Rat Control - How to Permanently Get Rid of Rats

One Rat Can Have Up To 204 Babies a Year!

How to Keep Mice and Rats Out of Your Restaurant

Health Risks Posed by Mice and Rat Infestations

Lee Gorman

13:50 21 Nov 22

I’d give a 10 star review if I could! We had a great experience with Critter Stop. Everyone I dealt was friendly, professional, and reassuring. Phillip was very helpful and knowledgeable about the work he was doing. He walked me around the entire house to make sure I saw and understood the services he provided. He was also really nice and answered all my questions — he is exactly the type of person that should be interacting with customers.I love the fact that they will come back for up to 1 year after installation if any problems occur — this shows me they stand behind their work.The owner was great too, he personally came to my house and walked me through their offering. I recommend critter stop to anyone and everyone!

Susan Casey

14:53 15 Nov 22

Critter Stop is a fantastic business! Everyone involved is extremely professional and very easy to communicate with. Chisam, the owner, did a great job of explaining the process to get the squirrels out of my attic during the initial free estimate. The exclusion crew who did all of the initial work was fabulous. The crew consisted of Phillip, Nick and Corey who arrived promptly when they said they would. They are happy, positive employees. Everyone is very polite and patient in explaining their work and answering questions. They came back several times to check the traps and finish it off with the fogging. Lester was very good about following up to schedule each trap check with me, and the office staff who took care of the billing was very efficient. Critter Stop is a well run company with honest, trustworthy employees! Thank you to all of you who worked hard to make my attic critter free and for the peace of mind that you guarantee your work. Great to know I can call them if for some reason a squirrel figures out a way to get back in!

Karen Eckholdt

14:54 22 Sep 22

Critter Stop has made this project easy and extremely professional from start to finish! They are very detailed and competent from start to finish and know so much about their business. They made a problem easy for us and at a reasonable cost. We would be happy to recommend this company and their owners and staff to anyone.

Aaron Echols

13:51 03 Aug 22

The guys at Critter Stop responded quickly, were very friendly, and gave us an honest estimate of what we might need. They explained why some items on other quotes were or were not necessary. They communicated well to get us scheduled, and did the work well and quickly. Great service at a fair and competitive price.

Jacob Scribner

19:23 27 Jul 22

Brandon and his other coworker Gavin came to install insulation in my attic. I am very grateful for the hard work and professionalism. My house feels a lot better with the insulation installed. 5 star review. Cory Leach was also very nice and helpful. He came to my house to do another job and was very attentive and professional. Thank you Corey and thank you Critter Stop for helping me.The owner very polite and helpful, I’m glad I found this company to help me.