The signs of animals in the attic are noises, droppings, smells, stains and damage around the roofline. When you hear them is often the first clue. UGA Extension says attic noise during the day could be gray squirrels, while noise at night could be mice, bats or flying squirrels. Heavy walking points to a raccoon or an opossum, according to the Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM).
Knowing which animal it is matters, because the fix is different for each one. Some also bring health risks. Bats and raccoons can carry rabies, and raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs that can make people seriously ill, the CDC says.
Sign by sign: which animal is it?
| What you notice | Most likely | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Running or scurrying during the day | Gray squirrels | UGA Extension links daytime attic noise to gray squirrels |
| Scratching or rustling at night | Mice, bats or flying squirrels | Hard to tell apart by sound alone |
| Heavy walking or thumping | Raccoon or opossum | ICWDM’s noise chart pairs heavy walking with these two |
| Noise just before dark and around dawn | Bats | Bats are noisiest when they leave to feed at dusk and come back at dawn |
| Droppings that crumble to powder with shiny bits | Bats | The shiny bits are insect remains; they pile up under the roost |
| Droppings 2 to 3 inches long, all in one spot | Raccoon | Raccoons use the same spot, called a latrine, on roofs and in attics |
| Greasy brown marks around a small gap | Bats | Rub marks show where they squeeze in and out |
| A strong, musty smell | Bats | The smell can sometimes be noticed from outside |
| Torn shingles or fascia boards | Raccoon | Raccoons can rip these off and need only a 4-inch gap |
| Chewed wires or wood in the attic | Squirrels | Chewed wires can start a fire |
| Lawn sod rolled back | Raccoon | They roll up fresh sod looking for worms and grubs |
| Small cone-shaped holes in the lawn, 3 to 4 inches across | Skunk | Skunks dig these small holes in lawns |
| Trash knocked over, pet food gone | Opossum or raccoon | Both raid garbage, bird feeders and pet food |
Sources: ICWDM’s noise chart, droppings guide and damage pages for bats, raccoons, squirrels, skunks and opossums; UGA Extension Bulletin 1248 (revised November 2023) on attic noise by time of day.
Noises alone can fool you
ICWDM itself says noises are not a very accurate way to tell which animal it is. Mice, bats and flying squirrels, for example, can all make noise at night. Use two or three signs together: when you hear it, what the droppings look like, and where the way in is. If you still can’t tell, an inspection will.
Signs that need help right away
- A bat in a room where someone was sleeping, or near a young child. NYC Health says to close the windows and doors so the bat can’t escape, then call 311 to have it collected and tested.
- An animal that seems sick. Stumbling, shaking, or acting unusually friendly or aggressive are warning signs in NYC Health’s raccoon flyer. ICWDM adds that a skunk out in the daytime may be rabid. Call 311.
- A big pile of droppings. Don’t sweep it up dry. The CDC says large amounts of bird or bat droppings should be cleaned up by professional companies, and raccoon latrines need gloves and care.
What to do once you know
- Don’t seal the hole yet. You could trap the animal, or its babies, inside.
- Find every way in. Walk around the building and look at the roofline, vents, soffits, chimney and eaves.
- Match the fix to the animal. See our guides to bats in the attic, raccoons and squirrels in the attic.
- Keep people and pets away from droppings until they’re cleaned up safely.
Putting the clues together
Here’s a simple example. Say a Brooklyn family hears thumping above the bedroom ceiling around 2 a.m. and finds a pile of large droppings near the attic hatch. Running in the morning would suggest squirrels. Heavy walking at night, plus droppings piled in one spot, points to a raccoon using a latrine.
That changes the plan. The family keeps the kids away from the droppings, doesn’t block the opening until the raccoon is out, and checks for young before anything gets sealed. Guessing squirrel and stuffing the hole shut would have trapped a raccoon inside.
How NYC Extermination finds out what’s in your attic
Our free on-site inspection looks for the animal, the entry points, nesting areas, droppings and the damage so far. We tell you what we found and what the fix is. If you go ahead, we remove the animal humanely, handle it the way New York State rules require, and seal the way in so the next one can’t follow.
See our wildlife removal service, our bat removal service, our squirrel removal service, or call (347) 988-2315.
Frequently asked questions
Can animals in the attic make you sick?
They can. Bat and bird droppings can carry the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, a lung infection, and raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs. Bats and raccoons can also carry rabies, so don’t handle the animals or the droppings without protection.
Should I seal the hole as soon as I find it?
No. Sealing it with an animal inside can trap it, or trap babies without their mother. Make sure everything is out first. For bats, the New York State Department of Health says not to batproof from late May to mid-August.
What do bat droppings look like?
Small, dark pellets that crumble into powder with shiny bits of insect remains when you crush them, according to ICWDM. They pile up under the spot where the bats roost. Mouse droppings don’t crumble that way.
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