Prevent Roof Rats in Your Palm Trees

Metro Orlando FL | Kissimmee - Sanford - Leesburg

There’s something inherently relaxing and beautiful about watching palms sway in the warm breeze. Palm trees grow well in Florida’s warm, humid climate, making them a seemingly perfect addition to your landscape. Of course, humans aren’t the only ones with an eye for palm trees—other creatures love them too, but not necessarily for their aesthetics. Roof rats, also known as fruit rats, love palms as a place to live. It’s possible that your lovely palm trees are actually harboring roof rats, and might really be encouraging vermin to invade your home.

What are Roof Rats?

Call them what you want–roof rats, fruit rats, black rats–but they’re all the same thing. These are the same rats that spread bubonic plague and fleas. They’ve been with humans for centuries, and throughout that time, they’ve been less than ideal house guests. Rats spread far more diseases than the frightening Black Death, though. Others include murine typhus, salmonella, rat-bite fever, and leptospirosis, to name only a few.

Where do Roof Rats Live?

Roof rats actually prefer to live in trees, particularly in palm trees, where they have plenty of protection from the elements, as well as from prying eyes of predators (or angry homeowners ready to get rid of them). They can also move from palm trees in your yard to the roof of your home, and then into the rest of the structure, bringing with them disease and damage. Like other rodents, rats gnaw on things, but because of their greater size, they can cause far more damage.

Roof rats love to nest within old palm frond skirts, but also build nests in old, dead fronds, and within hollow trees. They prefer to stay above the ground for safety from predators, but will make their homes in dense undergrowth just as happily.

Look for Signs of Roof Rats

Even if you don’t suspect you have a roof rat problem, it’s important to keep your eyes open for signs of an infestation. You can identify the presence of rats from quite a few different signs, including:

• Gnawed tree limbs
• Empty citrus fruit rinds with teeth marks
• Smudge marks on the walls and exposed parts of your home’s interior
• Well-worn runways through undergrowth and around your yard
• Seeing the rats themselves in trees (usually after dark)
• Moderately sized droppings (larger than mouse droppings)
• Noise made running within the walls or ceiling of your home, as well as gnawing or scraping sounds

What to Do If You Have Roof Rats

If roof rats have moved from outdoors to indoors, or even if you only find evidence of their presence outside, it’s important to take action immediately. Roof rats are invasive, and they breed very quickly. As they are not native to North America, there are few natural predators to keep their numbers down. Trapping and baiting are the best options, but you need to be careful with things like poison, as it can easily harm pets and other wild animals. Baits and traps are safer, but harder to use if you’re not a professional. If you need to remove roof rats from your backyard or home, call Heron Home & Outdoor today for a free quote!