Pest guide · Florida
Rats or Mice? How to Tell Which You Have
Where the activity is gives a useful clue. UF/IFAS says roof rats climb and nest high, in attics, roof spaces and palm trees, Norway rats burrow, and house mice live in walls and cabinets. Rats need a gap about 1/2 inch wide, mice only 1/4 inch. Honeywell’s Pest Control handles rats and mice around Middleburg: (904) 415-1083.
Identify
Roof rat, Norway rat or house mouse?
UF/IFAS guidance covers three rodents around Florida homes, and each tends to turn up in a different place.
Roof rat
A climber that nests high, in attics, roof spaces and palm trees. It gnaws wires and rafters. Activity overhead, in the attic or roof, fits a roof rat.
Norway rat
A burrowing rat that UF/IFAS says is most common along the coast and canals. Where the roof rat climbs and nests high, the Norway rat burrows.
House mouse
Lives in walls and cabinets. It squeezes through cracks about 1/4 inch wide; UF/IFAS says any place a pencil can be poked, a mouse can go.
The size of the gap
Rats need a crack about 1/2 inch wide to get through, while mice manage with 1/4 inch. A gap too small for a rat can still let a mouse in.
Habits
How rats and mice get in and settle
Rodents come indoors for food and shelter, and Florida weather can push them inside.
- Roof rats travel up and nest high, so tree limbs that overhang the roof give them a route in.
- Once inside, roof rats gnaw wires and rafters.
- Rats can get through cracks about 1/2 inch wide, and mice through about 1/4 inch.
- Heavy rain and flooding drive rodents, cockroaches and spiders indoors looking for shelter, a UF/IFAS urban entomologist says.
- A UF/IFAS Extension post says Norway rats, roof rats and house mice can be especially troublesome in winter, when they look for food and shelter indoors.
Prevention
How to keep rats and mice out
UF/IFAS advice for Florida homes, starting with the gaps rodents use.
- Seal gaps with hardware cloth or steel mesh.
- Check for any opening you could poke a pencil into. If a pencil fits, a mouse can get through.
- Trim tree limbs that overhang the roof, so roof rats can’t climb across.
- Use snap traps before poison, as UF/IFAS advises.
- After heavy rain or a storm, watch for new signs indoors, since heavy rain and flooding drive rodents inside.
Florida facts
Florida rodent facts from UF/IFAS
- Roof rats climb and nest high, in attics, roof spaces and palm trees, and gnaw wires and rafters.
- Norway rats burrow and are most common along the coast and canals; house mice live in walls and cabinets.
- Heavy rain and flooding drive rodents indoors in search of shelter, along with cockroaches and spiders.
- A UF/IFAS Extension post says rats and mice can be especially troublesome in winter, as they seek food and refuge indoors.
Sources: UF/IFAS: Rat and mouse control (ENY-224, archived) · UF/IFAS Extension Sarasota County: What to do about rodents · UF/IFAS News: Pest control tips for hurricane season · UF/IFAS Extension Santa Rosa County: Controlling rats and mice
Get help
Hearing noises in the attic or walls?
Honeywell’s Pest Control handles rats and mice for homes and businesses within 40 miles of Middleburg. Call for a free estimate and describe what you are hearing or finding.
Rodent control
Rats and mice in attics, walls, garages and crawl spaces.
FAQ
Rat and mouse questions from Florida homeowners
How can I tell a roof rat from a Norway rat?
Look at where the activity is. UF/IFAS says roof rats climb and nest high, in attics, roof spaces and palm trees, and gnaw wires and rafters. Norway rats burrow and are most common along the coast and canals. So sounds overhead fit a roof rat better. Honeywell’s Pest Control can take a look: (904) 415-1083.
Can a mouse really fit through a hole the size of a pencil?
Yes. UF/IFAS says mice can get through cracks about 1/4 inch wide, and that any place a pencil can be poked, a mouse can go. Rats need a little more room, about 1/2 inch. That is why small gaps are worth sealing with steel mesh or hardware cloth. Honeywell’s Pest Control can help: (904) 415-1083.
Is it a mouse or a rat in my kitchen cabinets?
UF/IFAS says house mice live in walls and cabinets, while roof rats climb and nest high, in attics, roof spaces and palm trees, and Norway rats burrow. So cabinets and walls are typical mouse territory. Mice also fit through smaller gaps, about 1/4 inch. If you are finding signs, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083.
Should I use snap traps or poison for rats?
UF/IFAS advises using snap traps before poison, along with sealing gaps with hardware cloth or steel mesh and trimming limbs that overhang the roof. Traps deal with the rodents already inside, and sealing helps keep new ones out. If they keep coming back, call Honeywell’s Pest Control at (904) 415-1083 for a free estimate.
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