Rat Droppings - Tend to be found concentrated in specific

locations as rats produce up to 40 droppings per night. Brown rat

droppings are dark brown in a tapered, spindle shape
resembling a large grain of rice.
Scratching Noises - Black rats in particular are agile climbers,
earning them their common name the roof rat. They can easily
gain access into loft spaces and upper floors of buildings, so
scratching noises at night may suggest their presence. Brown rats
on the other hand, are less adept climbers and more likely to be
identified by a grinding or chattering noise they make with their
teeth known as bruxing as they scurry under decking, sheds and
floorboards.
Footprints (running tracks) - Rats leave foot and tail marks in
dusty, less-used areas of buildings. Shining a strong flashlight at a
low angle should reveal tracks clearly. To establish if an infestation
is active, sprinkle fine flour or talc along a small stretch of floor
near the footprints and check for fresh tracks the next day.
Rub Marks - Rats use established routes along skirting boards
and walls due to their poor eyesight. Grease and dirt on their
bodies leave smudges and dark marks on both objects and
surfaces they repeatedly brush against. These marks may
indicate rodent activity, but as smears may remain for a long
period of time, they are not a good gauge of an active infestation.
Burrows - Brown rats are well known for digging and excavating
extensive burrow systems for shelter, food storage and nesting.
They build burrows next to solid objects or structures (decking,
garden sheds, garages etc.) and are also found in secluded, well
vegetated areas such as gardens and wasteland.
Droppings, typically left behind in kitchen cabinets, pantries,
cupboards, drawers, bins, and anywhere else they think they
might find food, or where they scurry to avoid predators. Rodents
are prolific poopers, so it's pretty easy to spot if you have an
infestation. It's also not uncommon to see droppings along walls,
on top of wall studs or beams, near nests, and in boxes, bags, old
furniture, and other objects.
Squeaks and other noises. Rodents aren't what you'd call
quiet. If they're in your house, you'll hear squeaks, rustling, and

scampering sounds as they move about and nest. Noises are

often more apparent at night as you're going to bed and they're
waking up.
Urine pools or trails. Rodents are notorious for having weak
bladders, and they'll dribble all over the place. House mice
sometimes make things called "urinating pillars," which are small
mounds consisting of grease, dirt, and yes, urine. Sometimes
you'll see tiny drops of urine leading to a mound.
Nibble marks on food boxes, food, or containers. These
telltale signs are often accompanied by nearby droppings.
Nests. Rodents build nests from soft, fuzzy, or warm
materials, such as fabric, furniture stuffing, quilt batting, shredded
paper, grass, and twigs, and will typically stuff them into
sheltered, out-of-the-way places like boxes, cabinets and closets,
walls, even the subspace between ceilings and floors. Other
possible mouse nest sites include dressers, behind and inside
appliances, and machinery, even computer cases -- basically,
anywhere it's cozy and warm.
Grease marks. Mice can wedge through openings as small as
a quarter of an inch in size. As they do, they often leave greasy
smears caused by oil and dirt in their coats behind. The
marks left by mice are fainter than those left by rats. If you find
large greasy smears, you should suspect a rat infestation instead.
Gnaw marks. Gnawing is a defining characteristic of all
rodents. They do it to keep their incisor teeth, which grow
continually, in check. Wood is a favorite,but they'll pretty much
chew on whatever suits them. This includes electrical wire, which,
as noted in Electrical Fires, makes them a leading cause of
structural fires. On wood, newer gnaws are light colored. They
turn darker with age. Sometimes you won't see gnaw marks, but
you'll see what looks like fine wood chips or coarse sawdust,
especially along baseboards, door and window frames, and
cabinets.
Holes in food packaging. Rodents will nibble into anything
they can smell, including boxes and bags of pasta, rice, beans,
and grain products. Dog food bags are also prime-time rodent
magnets, and especially so for rats, who like the meaty smell as

much as canines do. Another popular nibble, although not a food

product: soap.
An "off" aroma, or smell. House mice have a distinctive
musky odor. It's hard to describe, but once you smell it, you'll
never forget it.
Tracks. Look for footprints or tail marks in dusty spots. The
type of track and tail marks can tell you what kind of rodent
you're battling. Mice have the smallest feet, measuring 3/8 inch or
less. Rat tracks average between 3/4 to 1 inch. Rats also drag
their tails, which leaves a mark between their feet tracks. If tracks
are hard to spot, shining a flashlight across a suspicious area can
help illuminate them.
Pet excitement. If Rover or Miss Kitty is acting a bit nuts
(more nuts than usual?), especially around a possible mouse
hiding area, chances are good a critter has been there or is still
there.

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Rats and mice can be a big problem for households and
businesses. Unfortunately, they are sneaky rodents and arent
always easily detected. Dark, out-of-the-way nesting grounds, like
your attic, are their favorite places to call home.
While rats are quite messy, if you dont enter their hiding places
very often, such as your attic or basement, you might not know
you have a problem until it is a big problem. Some infestations,
like the Gambian Pouch rat infestation in the Florida Keys, have
been so grand, the problem lasts for years. If you are not sure if
you have a rat infestation, contact a professional for a home
inspection. If you conduct your own home inspection, below are
some tell-tale signs of an infestation.
Seeing rats in the open spaces.

This might sound strange, but if a rat is out and in plain site,
thats a sign of an infestation. Rats prefer to hide, so if they are
running around in the open, it generally means there are many
others filling up the hiding space.
Signs of rat runways.
When rats venture out, they tend to follow the same pathway
each time. They establish their paths in grass or low vegetation. If
you see an area that resembles a trail, take a closer look at where
it begins and ends.
Signs of damaged structure or materials.
Rats find great leisurely pleasure gnawing on materials, such as
plastic and wood. Some of the most definite signs of an
infestation are finding gnaw marks on wood, or floorboards, walls
and other materials. If you see this kind of damage, its very likely
an infestation problem.
Signs of Rat waste.
Just like all rodents, rats create waste. Look for droppings. If you
find them, this is a sign of a healthy infestation, because they
have ample access to food. If you find rat droppings in the open
public areas, the infestation might be quite large because they
are venturing out into the open due to overpopulation. Often the
size of an infestation can be determined by the amount of
droppings you find.
Rat Infestation Signs: Droppings
One of the first indicators of the presence of rats is their
droppings. A rat infestation in house can be determined or
eliminated by a careful examination in dark corners and along
baseboards for rat feces.
Rat droppings can be anywhere between a half inch to three
quarter inches in size (contrasted against the rice grain sized
feces of the house mouse) depending on which species is
involved. The black rats fecal pellets are roughly a half inch long;
those of the brown rat are larger commensurate with their greater
size, each pellet can be of an inch long.

When fresh, rat feces of both species have a slight sheen and
dark color. Also depending on the species of rats involved,
droppings may be found singly or in groupings. As droppings age,
they turn grey in color and have a crumbly consistency.
Urine
Other indications of the presence of rats are urine trails or
puddles and grease stains on walls and baseboards. These
stains are caused by the natural oils and dirt on the rats fur
rubbing off on surfaces they travel on or through, small barely
distinguishable stains are likely caused by mice, rats leave larger
stains on these surfaces.
Rats are the poster children for incontinence; they dribble urine
with almost every step they take and pass feces with a similar
abandon. Rat urine leaves a musty scent, most noticeable in small
enclosed spaces.
Evidence of gnawing
Rats are inveterate nibblers who can bite through all but metal,
glass and thick plastic containers. Even if droppings are not
readily apparent, if chew marks are found on food boxes or sacks,
a rat or mouse infestation is all but a certainty. Dry pet food bags
or boxes should be inspected as well; rats are particularly drawn
to meaty smells characteristic of both cat and dog chow.Good
starting points in a survey for signs of rat infestation are the
areas involved in food storage and preparation. Rats exploit
human populations for ready food and water sources, the pantry
or kitchen is a magnet for rat activity. Droppings and grease
stains may be visible in kitchen cabinets and drawers; but food
containers should also be inspected for signs of gnawing.
Rats have been known to gnaw into non-food items such as soap.
If an item has a smell attractive to the rodents, they will nibble
away on it.
Another kitchen location for rat sign is under the sink. If plumbing
is at all leaky, the opportunistic rodents will avail themselves of
the ready water supply. They have also been known to chew

through plastic water pipes. This extends to other plumbing,

including the bathroom and laundry rooms. Carefully inspect the
areas around any pipes or faucets for droppings urine, grease
marks and signs of chewing.
Rats have incisors that never stop growing; they gnaw on nonedible materials to wear the teeth down. Wood is a favorite target
of rat gnawing. Sometimes teeth marks are readily apparent on
exposed wooden surfaces; the newer areas will be light in color,
revealing the untreated wood beneath the surface. As these
marks age they darken, so that new markings can be readily
distinguished from old. Even when obvious gnaw marks are not
visible, sawdust and small chunks of wood near baseboards may
indicate the presence of a rat colony.
Rat signs: Sound
Another, often overlooked sign of a rat infestation is sound. Rats
are nocturnal animals that tend to be the busiest while humans
are asleep. Nevertheless, the alert homeowner will be able to
hear squeaks, scratching, rustling and scampering sounds as the
rats travel about in search of food and build their nests. Listening
for these sounds just before bedtime can help to verify a rat
problem.
Nesting
Rats nest in warm, dry, out of the way places including boxes,
inside cabinets, behind dressers (and in drawers, especially those
not often accessed), even the casings of computer towers. They
will also climb up into the insides of furniture to nest in the
stuffing.
Rats also take advantage of the warmth found near refrigerators,
stoves and dishwashers, hiding behind or even inside of their
housings.
Rats prefer soft, warm and fuzzy nesting materials, which they
transport to the nest site and stuff into their chosen space.
Nesting materials include grasses, fabric, furniture stuffing, quilt
batting, absorbent cotton, shredded paper and twigs. Inspect

stored fabrics for chew holes, quilt and cotton batting for any sign
of urine and droppings, whenever possible store such inviting
nesting materials in durable plastic storage containers that can be
sealed airtight.
Pay Attention to Your Pets
The presence of rats can generate greater excitability among
household pets. If your dog or cat spends time listening intently
or pawing at baseboards and walls, it is highly likely that they are
responding to the activity of rats within the structures. They also
respond to the odor of unseen rodents, although they may alert to
old rat smells as well as more recent ones.
Rat trails
In dusty areas, rat paw prints may be visible along baseboards
and walls. Where dust is not allowed to accumulate, one can test
for the presence of mice and rats by sprinkling talcum powder
next to baseboards, leaving it for a few days. If rats or mice are
traveling along these paths, the talcum will bear evidence of their
habitual traffic.
Incidentally, inspection for rat infestation signs should not be
limited to interior spaces alone. Food gardens or nearby
agricultural fields are strong rat attractions. Plants and their fruits
should be inspected for signs of chewing, and the surrounding soil
checked for evidence of rat droppings. Outside structures used for
grain storage should be regularly inspected for evidence of rats as
well.
Rat Infestation Risks
Rats present health risks other than direct transmission of
diseases. Their urine and fecal pellets can contaminate food and
water supplies rendering them inedible and undrinkable. Rats also
have mites and fleas that can readily jump to domesticated pets,
and in some cases, onto people.Rats are perceived in most of the
world as dirty animals that spread disease to humans and
domesticated animals. It is true that a number of serious diseases
and illnesses are transmissible from rodent to human or pets.

Companion animals can fall victim to some of these diseases,

other maladies use cats and dogs as vectors to spread to humans.
However, the risks of rat infestation are not just to health alone.
The tendency of rats (and mice) to chew on electrical wiring is
claimed to be a common cause of structural fires. Rats are not
inconsiderable sources of structural damage.
Rats not only gnaw to wear down their incisors, they will also
chew through walls and other impediments to reach food, or to
create a more direct route to a water or food source. They may
also chew into structures to expand or create nesting sites. Rats
can cause substantial damage to walls, baseboards, roof rafters,
subflooring, ceilings and support beams, especially when a large
colony of rats is responsible for the infestation.
Tell-tale tunnels through bushes in the garden are a sign of rats
around the home. Rats create burrows in gardens, especially in
compost heaps or under sheds. Rats will also build nests under
garden decking.
Although they may not have gained access to your house,
damage and infection can still occur as a result of outdoor
infestation. Deter rodent activity from your home by sealing
rubbish in containers and dont overfeed birds or place bird food
on the ground which is easily accessible to rodents. Credits:
Signs Of A Rat Infestation | deBugged Rentokil
Credits: Fed Up With Rodent Infestation, NY Man Puts Up RAT
CROSSING
Video of a Rat Infestation in a Community Garden
The culprit, quite possibly a person feeding the birds!
Indoor Signs of a Rat Infestation
Rats use defined, regular routes to move around houses. With bad
eyesight, they rely on sensitive hairs to feel their way and this
continual contact with surfaces causes grease to rub off their fur
leaving behind tell-tale smear marks which are most often found
along skirting boards or at the entrance of holes. Mice also urinate
at smear mark points, causing a characteristic musty smell.

<img class="alignright size-medium wpimage-7260" style="margin: 15px" title="Sign of an infestation smear around a rat hole near a pipe"
src="http://apolloxpestcontrol.com/wpcontent/uploads/2014/10/wpid-rentokil_rat_smear_mark215x300.jpg" alt="Sign of an infestation - smear around a rat hole
near a pipe" width="215" height="300" /> Credits: Signs Of A
Rat Infestation | deBugged Rentokil
The typical evidence to look for in your home is:

Scratching - noises in walls, under the floor or under

decking as rats scurry around looking for food.
Droppings rats leave dark, tapered (sausage shaped)
droppings about 1 2cm long.
Distinctive smell rats leave an ammonia-like smell that
will be particularly strong in enclosed areas such as under
cupboards, in loft spaces, garages, sheds or under decking.
Damage rats have teeth that grow continuously and gnaw
on wood, plastic and even mild steel to keep them trim. Rats
can even cause fires by chewing through cables and wiring.
Ripped food packaging rats will tear open all types of
packaging to find food which may leave teeth marks.
Nests built in warm, hidden places using shredded
material such as newspaper, plastic and fabrics. Nests will
often contain young.

Prevention