Meet the roof rat — Orlando's signature rodent
Central Florida's rat isn't the subway rat of northern cities. It's the roof rat: an agile climber that travels along oak branches, power lines, and fence tops, then slips into attics through gaps at the roofline. They're active year-round here — no winter die-off — and they love what Orlando offers: citrus trees, bird feeders, pet food, and attics full of warm insulation.
Trapping is step one of three
The sequence matters. Step 1: remove. Strategic trapping in the attic and along travel routes, checked on schedule until activity stops — confirmed by quiet nights and no new droppings. Step 2: seal. Every entry gets closed with steel mesh and metal flashing — materials rats can't chew through. Roof-to-soffit gaps, vent screens, pipe penetrations, garage door corners. Step 3: clean. Droppings, urine-soaked insulation, and nesting debris get removed and sanitized. Skip the sealing and you're trapping forever; skip the cleanup and the pheromones invite the next rats.
Why not just use poison?
Because poisoned rats die inside your walls, and then you need us for dead animal removal plus drywall repair. Poison also kills owls, hawks, and pets that eat poisoned rodents — the barn owl that was handling your rats for free dies too. Trapping plus exclusion is cleaner, safer, and permanent.
The attractants to fix
After the job, we walk you through what's drawing rats: citrus left on the ground, bird seed scattered under feeders, pet food outside, palm rats nesting in dead palm fronds (trim them), and branches touching the roof. Hear noises? Make sure it's rats first.
Send the form — tell us when the activity happens.