By Integrity Rodent Proofing, Dixon, California. Updated November 2026
Key takeaways
- Fresh droppings are dark and soft. Old ones go gray and crumble, which separates a problem you have right now from one the previous owner had.
- A mouse fits through a hole about the size of a dime, roughly a quarter inch. A rat needs about half an inch.
- Droppings in the attic do not mean the rodents came in through the attic. Plenty get in low, through a garage gap, and travel up inside the walls.
- Seal first, then trap. Trap first, and all you have done is empty the attic for the next group, through the exact same openings.
What does the inspector look for in the attic?
Most people never see the animal. They hear it at 2 a.m., or they pop the hatch and find the mess. The inspection works from the mess. Droppings come first, because droppings answer the most questions fastest. Rat droppings are dark pellets about half an inch long. Mouse droppings are closer to a grain of rice. And age matters as much as size. Fresh droppings are dark and soft. Old ones go gray and crumble, which separates a problem you have right now from one the previous owner had. Then the rub marks. Rodents run the same route night after night, and their fur leaves a dark, greasy smear behind. It is a trail map drawn by the animal itself. Follow the smears and they usually lead straight to the entry point. Gnawing gets checked too, mostly because of the wiring. Rodents chew wood, ductwork, and whatever is stored up there, and chewed wire insulation is a genuine fire risk. It is the main reason attic activity should not sit on a to-do list. Fresh gnawing is pale with sharp edges. Old gnawing darkens and smooths out. The rest goes quicker. Shredded insulation, nesting material tunneled into mats. A stale, musky smell at the hatch means urine has had time to soak in. Noted, and the inspection moves on.
Where else does the inspection go?
Here is the part that surprises people: droppings in the attic do not mean the rodents came in through the attic. Plenty get in low, through a garage gap, and travel up inside the walls. So the inspection follows them. Roofline, eaves, vents. Every spot where a pipe or a wire passes through a wall. The garage and the foundation below. The hunt is for every opening they use now and every one they are likely to find next, not just the first hole.
Hearing scratching? Finding droppings?
Let's find out how they're getting in.
An entry-point inspection checks the common ways rats and mice get in, shows you what we find, and tells you what needs to be sealed.
How small an opening counts?
Smaller than you would guess. A mouse fits through a hole about the size of a dime, roughly a quarter inch. A rat needs about half an inch, around the size of a quarter. So the inspection spends its time on gaps most homeowners walk right past: a loose vent screen, a small split at an eave, a bit of daylight around a pipe.
What do the findings actually tell you?
Underneath the checklist, the inspector is sorting out a few things. Rats or mice. Active right now, or left over from before you owned the house. One animal cutting through on its way somewhere else, or a group that has moved in for good. And how they are getting in, because that answer decides the job. An attic with old droppings and one open vent is a small job. Fresh sign, three entry points, and insulation soaked through is not. The inspection also makes the call on the insulation itself: can it be cleaned and sanitized, or is it contaminated enough that it has to come out and be replaced?
What do you get at the end of the inspection?
You get the findings explained plainly, photos of what was found, and a written estimate for the recommended work. No vague "rodent problem" and a number. The estimate ties back to the openings and damage the inspection turned up, so you can see exactly what you are paying to fix. Our inspections are free and can usually be scheduled the same week. We are licensed and insured, and we never use poison.
What happens after the inspection?
If you approve the work, it runs in a fixed order. The openings get sealed first, with construction grade materials, while the animals are still inside. The cleanup and sanitizing happen at that same visit, alongside the sealing. Only then do traps go in, for whatever is still up there, and sealing first means the animals caught in those traps are the last ones coming. We come back to check the traps, and if anything is left after trapping, a final cleanup pass finishes it. Do it backwards and it fails. Trap first, and all you have done is empty the attic for the next group, which will come in through the exact same openings.
Can you take a first look yourself?
Yes, from the hatch, with a flashlight. Shine it along the beams and where the roof meets the walls, and look for droppings and flattened trails in the insulation. Stay on the hatch. Do not climb around up there, and do not sweep or disturb what you find: dry droppings put dust you do not want in your lungs. A look from the hatch tells you whether to call. It cannot replace the roofline and entry point check outside. Hearing scratching overhead, or finding droppings in the attic? Call Integrity Rodent Proofing at (707) 754-2408 for a free inspection and a written estimate.
Common questions
How much does a rodent attic inspection cost?+
At Integrity Rodent Proofing, the inspection is free, and it comes with a written estimate for any work we recommend. It costs you nothing, and you keep the full picture.
Does the inspection only cover the attic?+
The attic is where it starts, but no. The inspector also checks the roofline, vents, garage, and the other routes rodents use to get up there, because the entry point is often somewhere else in the house entirely.
What if the droppings in my attic are old?+
Old sign still matters. It proves rodents got in before, and the openings they used are almost always still there. The inspection checks whether anything is active now and confirms those openings, so they can be sealed before the next group finds them.
Will traps be set during the inspection?+
No. The inspection comes first, so the plan is based on what is actually up there. If you approve the work, sealing comes before trapping, never the other way around.
How soon can an inspection be scheduled?+
We offer same-week inspections across Dixon, Davis, Vacaville, Sacramento, and the surrounding area. Call (707) 754-2408 to book a free inspection.
Written by
The Integrity Rodent Proofing team
Dixon, California. Rodent-proofing specialists serving Dixon, Davis, Woodland, Winters, Vacaville, West Sacramento, Sacramento, Roseville, and Folsom. We find how rats and mice are getting in, explain what we find, and seal the openings.