Is It a Pack Rat? They are especially fond of small, bright, shiny objects which they will … The standard rat snap trap is quite effective for pack rats. The holes could be rat burrows, especially given their location, but keep in mind that other animals (such as meadow voles, moles, and deer mice) can also dig burrows in your yard. Trap bait should be wedged into or tied to the trigger. Woodrats show little fear of new objects in their environment. Finally, they spray their viscous urine to act as a … Because of the potential for diseases, rat and other rodent removal requires special care to clean up all of the potential contaminants that can cause disease. Often confused with Norway rats, they are distinguishable by tails that are fur-covered instead of hairless and scaly. Clearing out a rat's nest is just one part of rat control to keep your home rodent-free. In buildings, brown rats (also called Norway rats) can nest almost anywhere – in wall or ceiling voids, in upholstered furniture, in attics or crawlspaces. Rats may also use gas pipe entry holes behind stoves. Lofts & attic spaces - look for shredded loft insulation, chewed items and rat droppings (rat poo) in corners and inside items like cardboard boxes. What Does a Pack Rat Look Like? Desert Woodrats - Pack Rats - Trading Rats Genus Neotoma . Wood rats are commonly called Pack Rats or Trade Rats because they collect various objects and bits of material to deposit in, or use in the construction of, their nests. Cluttered areas tend to attract rodents, as well as places surrounding water pipes. Also called wood or trading rats, pack rats get their name from their habit of scavenging building materials for their large, elaborate nests. The majority of pack rat populations in structures can be controlled by using traps. What Does Pack Rat Scat Look Like? Rat holes may exist between floorboards or in unlikely places, such as closets. To a pack rat, their scat is not just a simple waste material — pack rat droppings are a part of the animals' nest-building procedure, in which they retrieve various lengths of sticks and use pack rat feces to stick them together. In fact, check any gaps where pipework or cables enter your property from outside. ; Kitchens & laundries - look behind appliances like cookers, washing machines, dishwashers and tumble dryers. Sealing all possible entry points will reduce the chance a rat …