Rat and mouse article

Noises at Night: Rats, Mice or Something Else?

Updated November 4, 2026

Running and thumping overhead usually means roof rats. Light scratching low in a wall usually means mice. Here's how to read the sounds and what to do next.

In a Miami house, running or thumping over the ceiling at night is usually roof rats. Light, fast scratching low in a wall or under the cabinets is usually mice. Both are most active after dark. UF/IFAS ENY-224 says rats are most active in the first half of the night when food is easy to find.

The timing, the place and the kind of sound tell you a lot. Here's how to read them, and what to check the next morning.

Running or thumping overhead

A roof rat weighs much more than a mouse, so its running sounds heavier, like rolling or light thumping. If it's over a bedroom or along the edge of the ceiling near the eaves, it's likely rats moving between their nest and the way out. Activity that starts after the house quiets down and fades before dawn fits. See roof rats in Miami attics.

Scratching low in a wall

Light, quick scratching near the floor, behind the kitchen cabinets or near a bathroom usually means mice traveling inside the wall. It often starts near the kitchen, since that's where the food is. See mice in the walls.

Gnawing or chewing

A steady chewing or grinding sound means a rodent is gnawing on something: wood, wiring, a duct or a stored box. Rodents have to gnaw to keep their teeth in check. If the sound comes from where wiring runs, or lights flicker nearby, have an electrician look. UF/IFAS notes roof rats in attics gnaw electrical wires and rafters.

Squeaking

High-pitched squeaks can come from young rodents in a nest or from adults fighting. Squeaking in one spot night after night can point to a nest close by. That's useful to tell the technician.

Noise in the AC or ducts

Scratching in a duct or near the air handler may mean a rodent got into the ductwork, often through a chewed flexible duct in the attic. A smell when the AC runs is another sign. Ask your AC company to check the system after the rodents are dealt with.

Daytime or dusk noise

Rodents are mostly nocturnal. Loud noise in the daytime, especially heavy thumps at dawn or dusk, may be a different animal. This line only handles rats and mice. For other wildlife, call a wildlife company. Daytime rat noise can also mean a large population or a disturbed nest, so mention it on the call either way.

What to do the next morning

A few notes help the technician find the problem faster:

1. Write down the time, the room and the kind of sound
2. Look for droppings in the attic hatch area, the garage and under sinks
3. Walk outside and look at the roofline near where you heard it
4. Check trees, palms and wires that touch the roof on that side
5. Note whether the noise happens every night or only some nights

Should you set traps?

If you can reach the attic safely, set snap traps along the top plates and rafters near where you heard the sound. For a wall, set them under the sink and behind appliances on that wall. UF/IFAS ENY-224 says rats may take a week to approach a new trap, so don't give up after one night. Mice usually check out a trap the first night. See best rat and mouse traps.

When to call

Call if the noise continues more than a few nights, if it's getting louder or spreading to other rooms, if you hear chewing near wiring, or if a smell appears. A technician can trap and find the way in. Attic rodent removal and mice in walls removal cover both cases.

Noise through the Miami year

UF/IFAS says roof rats breed all year in Florida, with peaks in spring and fall, so noise can pick up in those months as young rats start moving around. The rainy season, roughly May to October, pushes rodents toward dry attics and garages. Around the holidays, people pull boxes out of the attic and garage and find droppings and chewed decorations, which is often the first sign of a problem that's been there for months.

Record it

If you can, record the sound on your phone. Hold it near the ceiling or the wall and note the time. A 20-second clip tells a technician more than a description, and it helps you tell rats from mice, or from the AC, the plumbing or a settling house.

Related services: Attic Rodent Removal, Mice in Walls Removal, Rodent Inspection