Home › Pest Library › Roof Rat
Rodent identification guide
Roof Rat in Georgia: How to Identify It and Recognize Climbing and Attic Signs
The roof rat is a sleek, agile rat with a tail longer than its head and body. UGA Extension calls roof rats good climbers, and UC IPM says they usually nest above ground in trees, shrubs or dense vegetation and favor attics, walls and false ceilings indoors.
Last reviewed October 19, 2026. Sources are listed at the end of the page.
Identification
How to recognize a roof rat
| Feature | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Build and weight | Sleek and graceful (UGA); 5 to 10 oz |
| Color | Brown or black (UGA), with a gray to white belly (UC IPM) |
| Ears | Extend past the eyes (UGA) |
| Muzzle | Pointed (UC IPM) |
| Tail | Longer than the head and body combined (UC IPM) |
Climbing and attic signs
- Noises from the attic or drop ceilings (UC IPM).
- Rats traveling along utility lines or on fence tops at dusk (UC IPM).
- Smudge marks on rafters, beams and pipes where fur rubs (UC IPM).
- Nests in attic spaces, walls, false ceilings and cabinets (UC IPM).
- Droppings about the size of raisins, the size UGA gives for rats.
Attic sounds alone do not prove roof rats: UGA notes that night-time attic noise could also be mice, bats or flying squirrels. Compare the clues in What Is in My Attic?
Where roof rats live
UC IPM says roof rats usually live and nest above ground in shrubs, trees or dense vegetation, and that when Norway rats and roof rats share a building, roof rats occupy the upper floors. That pattern explains why roof rat problems tend to start at the roofline, in the attic or in the upper walls.
Roof rat or Norway rat?
| Clue | Norway rat | Roof rat |
|---|---|---|
| Build | Large, heavy-bodied, stocky | Smaller, sleek and agile |
| Tail | Reaches to about the middle of the skull when pulled forward over the back | Longer than the head and body combined |
| Muzzle | Blunt | Pointed |
| Ears | Do not reach the eyes | Reach or extend past the eyes |
| Where it lives | Low: burrows outdoors; basements and ground floors inside | High: trees, shrubs and dense vegetation; attics and walls inside |
For ground-level signs and burrows, see the Norway Rat guide.
Cutting off the routes up high
UC IPM advises sealing all holes larger than 1/4 inch, noting that young rats can squeeze under a door with only a 1/2-inch gap, and covering vents with 18-gauge, 1/2-inch galvanized expanded metal rather than lightweight chicken wire. It also advises cutting back tree limbs that give rats a path onto the roof. UGA recommends traps rather than poison baits inside the house. For attic entry points and rat activity, see Rat Control or Rodent Exclusion.
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Is a roof rat the same as a black rat?
Yes. UGA says roof rats are also called black rats or ship rats, and notes they can be brown or black, so color alone does not identify them.
Why do I hear rats in the attic but never see them?
Roof rats stay up high. UC IPM says they nest in attics, walls and false ceilings and travel along utility lines at dusk, so they are heard more often than seen.
Will trimming trees keep roof rats out?
It removes one route. UC IPM pairs cutting back limbs with sealing openings larger than 1/4 inch and screening vents, because rats can still reach a roof by other paths.
Where this information comes from
Sources
Facts about identification, biology and safety come from the sources below, retrieved on October 19, 2026. Publication or review dates are given where the source shows one.
- Rats and Mice: Get Them Out of Your House and Yard (Circular 970), UGA Extension — by Michel Kohl and Michael T. Mengak; republished with minor revisions November 5, 2025
- Pest Notes: Rats (Publication 74106), UC Statewide IPM Program, University of California — by N.M. Quinn; updated June 2025
- Resolving Human-Nuisance Wildlife Conflicts (Bulletin 1248), UGA Extension — by Michael T. Mengak; published with minor revisions November 3, 2023
More rodent guides
Browse the full Atlanta Pest Library, or read another rodent guide:
Hearing rats overhead?
Call Pest Control Atlanta and tell us when you hear the activity and where.
Call Pest Control Atlanta (404) 647-6677Licensed & Insured company. Serving Atlanta and surrounding areas. Available 24/7 for calls, bookings and on-site service.
