Spotting the Difference: Is it a Rat or a Squirrel in My Roof?

ByNewmarket Pest Solutions

The Mystery Guest in the Attic

There are few things more unsettling than lying in bed and hearing the sound of heavy footsteps directly above your head.

When our phone rings at Newmarket Pest Solutions, the customer usually says, “I think I have rats.” But in many cases, especially around Brandon and areas bordering Thetford Forest, the culprit isn’t a rat at all. It’s a Grey Squirrel.

Identifying which pest has moved in is crucial because the treatment methods are completely different. What works for a rat will often be ignored by a squirrel.

Here is the “3-Step Test” we use to tell them apart before we even arrive at your property.

1. The “Clock” Test (Time of Day)

This is the single most reliable way to identify your intruder.

  • Grey Squirrels are Diurnal (Daytime Active): Squirrels sleep at night, just like us. Their peak activity times are usually early morning (sunrise) when they leave the nest to forage, and early evening (sunset) when they return. If you hear noises at 7:00 AM or 4:00 PM, it is almost certainly a squirrel.

  • Rats are Nocturnal (Nighttime Active): Rats feel safest under the cover of darkness. If the noise wakes you up at 2:00 AM or 3:00 AM when the house is deadly quiet, you are likely dealing with rats or mice.

2. The “Thump” Test (The Sound)

The type of noise can tell you a lot about the size of the animal.

  • The Squirrel Sound: Squirrels are much heavier and clumsier than rats. In a loft, they often sound like a person walking around. You will hear distinct thuds, bumps, and fast, heavy scurrying as they chase each other across the rafters.

  • The Rat Sound: Rats are stealthy. While they can run fast, the noise is often more of a persistent scratching or light scurrying. However, the most distinct rat sound is gnawing. It sounds like a grinding noise, similar to rough sandpaper on wood, as they chew through timbers or joists.

3. The Location Factor

Your local environment plays a huge role.

  • Tree Cover: If your home is in a leafy area like Exning or backs onto the woods in Thetford, squirrels are the prime suspect. They use overhanging branches as bridges to leap onto your roof.

  • Water & Drains: If you are near the river (like parts of Newmarket or Mildenhall), rats are more common. They tend to enter via broken drains or gaps at ground level and climb up the wall cavities.

Why Does It Matter?

You cannot treat squirrels and rats the same way.

Rat Control usually involves a combination of trapping and professional rodenticides. Squirrel Control, however, is more complex. Because Grey Squirrels are an invasive species, strict laws govern how they can be trapped and removed. Putting rat poison down for a squirrel is often ineffective (they stash it rather than eat it) and can be dangerous if the squirrel carries the bait outside where a dog or cat might find it.

The Verdict?

If you are hearing noises—whether it’s a thump at sunrise or a scratch at midnight—the damage is already happening. Both pests chew through electrical wiring, strip insulation, and weaken roof timbers.

Don’t guess and hope they leave. They won’t.

Contact Newmarket Pest Solutions today. We will identify the intruder, remove them safely, and show you exactly how to stop them coming back.

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