06/17/2026
Case Study: How We Eliminated a Severe Roof Rat Infestation in Southern Utah
When most people discover rodents in their home, they assume the solution is simple: put out a few traps and wait.
Unfortunately, roof rats don't always cooperate.
Recently, we were called to a Southern Utah home experiencing a significant roof rat infestation. The homeowner had ongoing activity throughout the property, and it quickly became apparent that this wasn't going to be solved with a handful of traps and a single service visit.
In fact, it took multiple visits every few days over the course of several weeks to fully eliminate the infestation and protect the home from future invasions.
Step 1: Understanding the Enemy
One of the biggest challenges with roof rats is a behavior known as neophobia—their natural fear of new objects in their environment.
This means that bait stations, traps, and even exclusion work can initially be avoided if introduced too aggressively.
Before implementing control measures, we focused on understanding exactly how the rodents were using the property.
Our inspection included:
✔️ Black light inspections to identify urine trails and hidden activity areas
✔️ Tracking droppings, rub marks, hair, and grease marks that revealed travel routes and entry points
✔️ Moisture meter inspections to locate areas that could be attracting rodent activity
✔️ Thermal imaging to identify potential nesting areas and hotspots within the structure
✔️ Interior and exterior trail cameras to capture real-time rodent behavior and confirm our findings
The goal wasn't simply to find rodents.
The goal was to understand how they were living, traveling, feeding, and entering the home.
Step 2: Building Trust
Rather than immediately setting every trap we placed, we intentionally left many snap traps unset.
Why?
Because roof rats are suspicious of anything new.
We also installed exterior bait stations using non-toxic pre-bait to help the rodents become comfortable feeding from the stations before introducing active ingredients.
Over time, we began seeing clear evidence of acceptance:
Feeding activity in bait stations
Footprints and droppings around traps
Camera footage showing regular travel routes
Increased activity around monitoring devices
Once we confirmed the rodents had accepted these new objects as part of their environment, we moved to active control measures.
Step 3: Active Control
With feeding patterns established and travel routes identified, we transitioned to:
✔️ Properly positioned snap traps
✔️ Active-ingredient rodenticide in exterior bait stations
✔️ Continued monitoring through trail cameras
✔️ Ongoing inspections and adjustments based on rodent behavior
The results came quickly.
Over the course of the program, we removed more than 40 roof rats from inside the home while controlling many more through exterior bait stations.
Step 4: Keeping Them Out
Eliminating rodents is only half the battle.
Keeping them out is what creates long-term success.
Throughout the process, we identified multiple areas showing signs of intrusion, including grease marks, hair, and other evidence of repeated entry.
The homeowner received detailed exclusion recommendations to seal vulnerable access points and reduce the likelihood of future infestations.
The Result
Today, the home is 100% rodent-free and protected.
No noises in the attic.
No droppings.
No new activity.
No unwanted guests.
The Takeaway
Rodent control isn't about throwing out bait and hoping for the best.
Successful roof rat control requires understanding behavior, identifying travel routes, locating entry points, monitoring activity, adapting strategies, and sometimes being patient enough to let the rodents tell you how they're using the property.
The more we understand the pest, the better the outcome for the homeowner.
Chris Hill | Sales Manager
Western Pest Control
Serving Southern Utah for 25 Years
3,000+ Five-Star Reviews