Halloween quiz
Is your home haunted, or infested?
Footsteps in the ceiling after dark? Things moving on their own? Before you call a ghost hunter, take our six-question quiz. That bump in the night is usually less ghost, more roof rat.
GhostRoof rats
The needle is waiting for evidence.
Not a ghost. Sounds like roof rats.
Scratching after dark, chewed stuff and shadows running the roofline are classic roof rat signs. Southwest Florida roof rats, also called black rats or palm rats, are great climbers. They use trees, palms and power lines to reach the roof and slip in through small gaps.
We find every gap and seal it for good with stainless steel and exterior-grade materials. No poison.
Not a ghost. Sounds like squirrels.
Thumps and running in daylight, especially early morning and late afternoon, point to squirrels. Roof rats keep the night shift; squirrels keep business hours. They chew their way in along the roofline.
We find how they got in and seal it for good with exterior-grade materials. No poison.
Not a ghost. Sounds like bats.
Activity right at dusk, faint chirps and droppings under the eaves point to bats. Bats are protected in Florida, so they have to be handled the legal way.
That's what we do: legal, poison-free bat exclusion, then the home is sealed for good.
No ghosts. No guests either. Probably.
Nothing you picked points to a critter. Lucky you. If the bumps start up, especially after dark, that bump in the night is usually less ghost, more roof rat.
Call or text us any time and we'll take a look.
Your shareable result
What does the "ghost" really sound like?
Here's a real recording of rats scratching, gnawing and scurrying on the wooden joists above a ceiling. If your attic sounds like this after dark, it's time to call us.
Recording: "Rats Gnawing, Scratching, Squeaking and Scuttling" by iainmccurdy on Freesound, CC BY 4.0. Trimmed to 12 seconds and converted to mono. The spooky sounds in the quiz are made in your browser.
Who's really up there?
- Roof rats (also called black rats or palm rats): the night shift. Scratching and scurrying after dark, chewed stuff, half-eaten fruit on the trees. Roof rat exclusion
- Squirrels: the day shift. Thumps and running in the morning and late afternoon. Bats and squirrels
- Bats: the dusk shift. Faint chirps and a fly-out from the eaves as it gets dark. Protected in Florida, so they need a legal approach.
Whatever it is, we find every gap and seal it for good. Poison-free, with an annually renewable lifetime warranty. Most homes $800–$1,500. Call or text (239) 946-RATS, or text us your address.
