What Animal Is in My Attic? Sounds, Times and Droppings
The short answer: start with when you hear it. Noise at night into early morning points to rats, and heavier thumps at night to a raccoon or opossum. Noise in the daytime is usually squirrels. Quiet attics with animals leaving at dusk are bats. Droppings then confirm it. Call (844) 264-6254 for an inspection.
Step 1: When do you hear it?
UF/IFAS Extension in Duval County puts it simply: noise from night to early morning is likely a nocturnal animal such as a roof rat, Norway rat or house mouse, and noise during the day is more likely a squirrel (UF/IFAS).
Roof rat
- Night, peaking near dusk and dawn
- Most active one hour after sunset and one hour before dawn, and likes high places such as attics (Florida DOH)
Norway rat
- Night, from about dusk
- Mainly nocturnal, and tends to live on lower floors (Florida DOH)
Gray squirrel
- Daytime
- Active during the day, and sometimes nests in attics (FWC)
Flying squirrel
- Night
- Nocturnal, sometimes nests in attics, with excited cheeps in the first hours after dark (UF/IFAS)
Raccoon
- Late afternoon through the night
- Usually active from late afternoon and through the night (FWC)
Opossum
- Night
- Nocturnal and solitary (UF/IFAS)
Bats
- Leaving at dusk, returning at dawn
- Seen entering or leaving at dawn or dusk (FWC)
Step 2: What does it sound like?
Light, quick scurrying and gnawing are typical of rats. Heavy walking and thumps suggest something bigger: our post on raccoon noises at night covers the sounds raccoons make, and raccoon vs rats in the attic compares the two. UF/IFAS says opossums hiss, click, growl and screech (UF/IFAS). Bats are different: UF/IFAS notes they're quiet, don't chatter or gnaw on wood, and you can confirm them by watching them leave the eaves at dusk (UF/IFAS).
Step 3: What did it leave behind?
UF/IFAS says droppings the size of rice grains could be from rats, mice or bats, smaller oval pellets could be from squirrels, and raccoon scat has blunt ends and is about an inch thick (UF/IFAS). Florida DOH adds that rats leave dark grease stains from their fur along pipes, wires and the holes they use (Florida DOH).
To tell bat guano from mouse droppings, FWC says bat droppings crumble to powder when crushed and may show shiny bits of insect wings, while mouse droppings don't crumble, and bat guano piles up where mouse droppings don't (FWC). For pictures and sizes, see what rat poop looks like and squirrel poop vs rat poop.
Why it matters which animal it is
Each animal comes with its own Florida rules. FWC allows bat exclusion without a permit only from August 15 to April 15, and what can be done with a trapped raccoon, opossum or rat depends on the species. Our guide to Florida wildlife trapping rules covers the details. Naming the animal correctly decides what's legal and what works.
Next steps by animal: rats in the attic, squirrels in the attic, raccoons in the attic, opossums in the attic and bats in the attic.