25/05/2026
Mindful Monday Topic: Rats, Bats, or Mice?
One of the most common calls we get starts with:
“I think I have mice in my attic…”
But surprisingly, many times it actually ends up being bats or squirrels instead. And sometimes, homeowners aren’t dealing with mice at all — they’re dealing with rats.
So how can you tell the difference?
Mice are small, usually quiet, and mostly active at night. They commonly stay inside walls, kitchens, basements, garages, and lower insulation areas. Most homeowners rarely hear mice moving around overhead.
Rats are much larger, louder, and more destructive. They create heavier scratching and chewing sounds, leave larger droppings, and can chew through tougher materials.
Now here’s where it gets interesting…
If you’re hearing:
• Loud running across the ceiling
• Heavy scratching or rolling sounds
• Sudden thumps overhead
• Activity mainly during the daytime
…it’s often squirrels instead.
Squirrels are extremely active during the day and commonly enter attics through roof edges, soffits, vents, and construction gaps. Once inside, they can quickly damage insulation and wiring.
If the sounds are lighter, fluttery, chirping, or mainly around dusk and dawn, there’s a good chance you may be hearing bats.
Bats commonly enter through tiny gaps around roofing, fascia boards, ridge vents, and siding transitions. Many homeowners never actually see them because they quietly roost during the day and become active at night.
Quick breakdown:
Mice:
• Small and quieter
• Light scratching sounds
• Small rice-shaped droppings
Rats:
• Larger and louder
• Heavy scratching/chewing noises
• Larger capsule-shaped droppings
Squirrels:
• Loud running/jumping
• Active during the day
• Larger entry points
Bats:
• Chirping/fluttering sounds
• Active at dusk and dawn
• Common near roof peaks and vents
Correct identification is the first step to solving the problem properly, because every pest requires a different treatment and exclusion plan.
So next time you hear noises overhead…ask yourself:
Is it Rats, Bats, or Mice?
