How to Get Rid of Rats in Memphis

Step 1: figure out which rat you have

Memphis has two rats, and they need different plans.

Roof rats are slim, dark and nimble, with a tail longer than the head and body. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency describes them as excellent climbers that live mostly in upper floors of buildings, and in trees. Signs: scratching in the attic or ceiling at night, droppings about half an inch long with pointed ends, and rats seen on fences, power lines or tree limbs.

Norway rats are heavier and browner, with a shorter tail. They burrow. Signs: holes along the foundation, under slabs or sheds, droppings about three quarters of an inch with blunt ends, and activity in the crawl space, garage or yard.

See roof rats vs Norway rats for more detail.

Step 2: find where they travel

Rats use the same routes every night. Look for:

• Droppings, which collect along runways and near food
• Rub marks, dark greasy smears where rats brush against beams, pipes and wall bases
• Gnaw marks on wood, wiring, pipe insulation and food packaging
• Trails in attic insulation
• Burrows with smooth, packed openings outside

University of Kentucky pest training notes that rat gnaw holes are about two inches across with rough edges, while mouse holes are about an inch and clean-cut. A light dusting of flour or talc on a suspected path can show tracks the next morning.

Step 3: trap on the runways

Snap traps are the standard tool for rats inside a house. University of California pest guidance recommends placing traps for roof rats off the ground, on ledges, shelves, pipes, fences or beams, and traps for Norway rats close to walls, behind objects and in dark corners. Space them about 10 to 20 feet apart in active areas.

Rats are cautious around new objects, so many people bait traps without setting them for a night or two first. Peanut butter, nut butters and dried fruit work as bait. Check traps daily and remove catches with gloves.

Keep traps away from children and pets, or set them inside covered boxes.

Step 4: seal the way in

This is the step that makes the rest stick. University of California guidance says rats can squeeze under a door with a half-inch gap, and recommends sealing openings larger than a quarter inch with steel wool, wire screen or sheet metal, and covering vents with galvanized half-inch mesh. Rats chew through plastic, foam, wood and caulk.

In Memphis, check these first:

• Soffits and fascia, especially on older Midtown and East Memphis homes
• Gable, ridge and soffit vents with damaged screens
• Roof returns, where two rooflines meet
• Crawl space vents and access doors
• Gaps around pipes, gas lines and AC lines
• Garage door corners and gaps under exterior doors

Seal after the rats inside are trapped out. Sealing first can trap them in a wall. See rodent exclusion.

Step 5: take away food and cover

Memphis yards often feed rats without anyone noticing. Common sources:

• Pet food on porches and in garages
• Bird feeders, and seed spilled underneath
• Pecans, figs and other fruit dropping near the house
• Garbage carts with lids that do not close
• Compost with meat or cooked food

Cover matters too. Firewood stacked against the house, ivy on walls, junk piles and bulky waste left at the curb for weeks all give rats a place to live. Limbs touching the roof give roof rats a bridge. The city's trash and property rules line up well with what rats need.

Why poison inside the house backfires

Store-bought bait is tempting, but it causes problems indoors. A rat that eats bait does not die on the spot. It goes back to its nest, often in a wall, under attic insulation or in the crawl space, and dies there. In a warm Memphis attic, the smell can be strong for weeks.

University of California guidance also warns that all rodenticides are toxic to pets and people, that pets can be poisoned by eating poisoned rodents, and that entry points should be sealed before baiting outdoors so poisoned rats do not die inside. Under EPA rules, consumer bait is sold only in ready-to-use stations. See dead rodent smell.

When to call a professional

Do it yourself if you have a rat or two in a garage and can find and seal the opening. Call for help if:

• You hear rats in the attic or walls most nights
• You find droppings in several rooms
• You cannot find the entry point, or it is on the roof
• Rats are back after you trapped them
• You see burrows along the foundation

A technician can inspect the attic, roofline and crawl space, trap, seal and come back to confirm. See rat control.