If the fruit has a small round hole and is hollowed out while still on the tree, it is very likely roof rats. UF/IFAS says this damage is most common from about September through March. Pick up fallen fruit, trim branches away from the roof and fence, and have the house checked, because rats feeding on the tree often nest in the attic.
St. Lucie County seat, on the Indian River Lagoon
Rodent Control and Rat Removal in Fort Pierce, FL
Fort Pierce sits where the Indian River Lagoon meets the Fort Pierce Inlet, with old citrus yards, a working port and a historic downtown all close together. Rats use all of it. We find where they get into your home or business, close those openings with metal, trap the ones inside and come back to confirm they are gone.
1 city, 3 kinds of rodent problems
Island, Waterfront or Mainland: Where You Live Changes the Problem
Fort Pierce covers about 29.8 square miles, and about 6 square miles of that is water. A rat problem on North Hutchinson Island looks very different from one in a downtown storefront or a house north of Moore’s Creek.
North and South Hutchinson Island
Beach condos and island homes
The Fort Pierce Inlet splits Hutchinson Island in 2. Out here, roof rats (Rattus rattus) climb sea grape, palms and utility lines to reach balconies, roof edges and A/C chases. In condos, they follow pipe and wire paths between units.
- Gaps at roof flashing and soffit vents
- Openings around A/C line sets
- Trash rooms and dumpster pads
Downtown and the marina
Older buildings by the water
The historic downtown sits on the Indian River side, near the City Marina and the Sunrise Theatre. Older buildings share walls, have many utility holes, and sit near restaurants and the water, which gives rats food, cover and a short trip in.
- Shared walls and old pipe holes
- Back alleys and grease bins
- Docks, seawalls and rock edges
Lincoln Park and the mainland
Yards, fruit trees and sheds
Mainland neighborhoods such as Lincoln Park, north of Moore’s Creek, have mature yards with fruit trees, sheds and fences. Roof rats run the fence lines and branches to the roof, and house mice (Mus musculus) move into garages and kitchens.
- Branches touching the roof
- Gaps under sheds and porches
- Garage door seals and weep holes
Source: Wikipedia, Fort Pierce, Florida (area and Lincoln Park); Wikipedia, Hutchinson Island (Florida).
Read the clues
What You Found, and What It Usually Means
Most Fort Pierce calls start with 1 clue: a noise, a chewed orange or a few droppings. Here is what each one tends to point to, and what we look at first when we inspect.
| What you found | What it usually means | What we check first |
|---|---|---|
| Scratching in the ceiling at night | Roof rats nesting in the attic or soffit | Roof edges, soffit vents, gable vents, branches over the roof |
| Oranges or grapefruit hollowed out on the tree | Roof rats feeding in your yard | Fence lines, nearby palms and the path from the tree to the house |
| Small droppings in a kitchen drawer | House mice inside the walls or cabinets | Gaps under sinks, behind the stove and around pipes |
| Holes in the dirt by a seawall or dock | Rats burrowing near the water | Rock edges, wood piles, boat storage and the yard side of the seawall |
| Dark greasy marks on a beam or pipe | Rub marks on a regular travel route | Where the route starts and where it enters the building |
| A bad smell in 1 room | A dead rodent in a wall or ceiling | Where it is, then dead rodent removal and odor cleanup |
Source: UF/IFAS Extension, Roof Rats (UW120), signs of infestation: hollowed fruit, droppings about 1 cm long and dark rub marks.
An Indian River citrus town
Backyard Citrus and Roof Rats in Fort Pierce
Citrus became a major crop in St. Lucie County in the early 1900s, and the Port of Fort Pierce still lists citrus as a key export. The UF/IFAS Indian River Research and Education Center is here too. Many older yards still have an orange, grapefruit or tangerine tree, and UF/IFAS says fruit is the roof rat’s favorite food.
12-14in
Adult roof rat
Nose to tail. The tail is longer than the head and body, which helps them balance on wires and branches.
Sep-Mar
Fruit damage season
UF/IFAS puts citrus damage in about September through March, the same months the fruit ripens.
4-5
Litters a year
Each litter has 5 to 8 pups, and young rats can breed at 3 to 4 months old.
150yd
Travel for food
A roof rat may nest in your attic and feed on a tree 2 or 3 yards away.
- Pick up fallen fruit every day while the tree is fruiting
- Trim branches so they do not touch the roof, fence or wires
- Keep the lower limbs off the ground
- Sheet metal guards on the trunk can stop rats from climbing
Source: UF/IFAS Extension, Roof Rats (UW120); Wikipedia, St. Lucie County, Florida (citrus history); Wikipedia, Fort Pierce, Florida (port commodities).
Historic downtown and the waterfront
Commercial Rodent Control in Fort Pierce’s Old Downtown
Fort Pierce was chartered as a city in 1901, and parts of downtown are much older than most of the Treasure Coast. The Sunrise Theatre on South 2nd Street opened in 1923 as a vaudeville house. Old Fort Park, the Old City Hall and the blocks near the City Marina hold restaurants, shops and offices.
Older commercial buildings have many small openings: old pipe holes, gaps where walls meet, roof parapets and back doors that do not seal at the bottom. Add food waste and the water a block away, and rats have everything they need.
Our commercial rodent control covers restaurants, retail, offices, warehouses and marine businesses. We note entry points, set tamper-resistant bait stations outside where they make sense, trap inside, and keep a written record of each visit for your files.
Shared walls matter downtown. If the shop next door has rats, sealing only your side may not be enough. We look at where the walls, ceilings and pipes connect.
Downtown checklist
- Door sweeps on back and service doors
- Metal mesh on floor drains and pipe holes
- Dumpster lids closed and pads hosed down
- Grease bins sealed and away from the wall
- Storage kept 6 inches off the floor
- Roof parapets and vents checked for gaps
Source: Wikipedia, Sunrise Theatre (built 1923, 117 South 2nd Street); Wikipedia, Fort Pierce, Florida (chartered 1901).
Services available in Fort Pierce
Rat and Mouse Removal Services in Fort Pierce
Most Fort Pierce jobs combine a few of these: an inspection, sealing, trapping and cleanup. Choose a service to learn more, or call and we will tell you what your property needs.
Residential Rodent ControlAttic and crawl space rat removal for Fort Pierce homes, from historic Lincoln Park to the newer streets of Indian River Estates.Learn More →
Commercial Rodent ControlScheduled service with written visit logs for restaurants near Second Street, warehouses by the Port of Fort Pierce, and offices downtown.Learn More →
Rodent RemovalTraps placed on the paths rats use and checked on return visits until the activity stops.Learn More →
Dead Rodent RemovalBad smell in a wall or ceiling? We find and remove the dead rodent, then clean and deodorize the area.Learn More →
Rodent CleanupRemoval of droppings, urine and nests from attics and garages, with advice on insulation replacement.Learn More →
Rodent ExterminatorEPA and FDACS certified technicians who use traps indoors and follow product labels around kids and pets.Learn More →
Rodent ExclusionWe seal soffits, roof vents, pipe gaps and garage corners with metal and mortar so rats cannot get back in.Learn More →
Rodent Feces RemovalCareful cleanup of droppings with disinfectant, never sweeping or vacuuming, which can spread germs.Learn More →
Rodent ProofingDoor sweeps, vent screens, seawall gaps and dock area sealing for Fort Pierce homes.Learn More →
Storms and empty houses
After the Storm, and Next to the Empty House
2 things send a lot of rodent calls our way in Fort Pierce: storm damage and vacant buildings nearby. Both give rats shelter close to homes that are lived in.
2004
Frances, Jeanne and Milton
Hurricanes Frances and Jeanne in 2004 wrecked the Fort Pierce City Marina. On October 9, 2024, an EF3 tornado from Hurricane Milton hit the area. Storms leave torn soffits, lifted roof edges and piles of debris, and rats move in fast.
- Check soffits, fascia and roof vents after any storm
- Move debris piles away from the house quickly
- Do not leave tarps loose at the roof edge
14.5%
Of housing units vacant
Census data shows about 14.5% of Fort Pierce’s 21,769 housing units were vacant. An empty house with overgrown shrubs and an open crawl space can hold a colony that spreads to the homes on both sides.
- Seal your own home first, because you cannot control the lot next door
- Keep a clear strip between your walls and the fence
- Report overgrown property to the city’s code enforcement
Source: Wikipedia, Fort Pierce, Florida (hurricanes, 2024 tornado and housing units); Wikipedia, St. Lucie County, Florida.
Docks, seawalls and the lagoon
Rats Along the Indian River Lagoon Shoreline
The Indian River Lagoon runs 156 miles along Florida’s east coast, and the Fort Pierce Inlet is one of its main openings to the ocean. Homes along the lagoon and the Intracoastal Waterway have docks, boat lifts, seawalls and rock edges, all good cover for rodents.
Roof rats usually nest up high, but UF/IFAS notes they will also burrow in banks and under stacked materials. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a heavier burrowing rat that likes damp ground near water, docks and drains. On a waterfront lot we check both the yard side and the house.
Boats and gear are part of it. A covered boat on a trailer, a pile of crab traps or a dock box full of bait can draw rats right to the back door.
The lagoon is home to manatees and many other animals. Any bait outside should go in locked, tamper-resistant bait stations placed by a licensed pro, never loose along the water.
Waterfront lot checklist
- Keep bait, fish scraps and chum sealed or in the freezer
- Store crab traps and gear off the ground
- Check boat covers and trailers for nests
- Fill burrows along the seawall cap and fix gaps
- Trim mangrove and sea grape branches back from the roof
- Close gaps under docks, sheds and screen rooms with hardware cloth
Source: Wikipedia, Indian River Lagoon (length and inlets); UF/IFAS Extension, Roof Rats (UW120).
Save your money
What Works on Treasure Coast Rats, and What Does Not
We hear about a lot of home fixes. Some help a little. Some make the problem harder to solve.
Skip these
Does not work, or makes it worse
- Ultrasonic plug in devices. UF/IFAS says there is no evidence they work.
- Loose poison in the attic, which can leave a dead rat in a wall
- Expanding foam alone in holes, since rats chew right through it
- Traps set during the day outside, which can catch birds and other wildlife
- Sealing the house while rats are still inside
Do these
What actually solves it
- Exclusion with metal flashing, hardware cloth and sealant
- Trapping inside, checked often, for at least a week
- Outdoor bait only in tamper-resistant bait stations
- Trimming trees and removing fallen fruit
- A follow-up visit to confirm no new activity
Source: UF/IFAS Extension, Roof Rats (UW120), on ultrasonic devices, trapping and bait stations.
How a job runs
A Fort Pierce Rat Job, From the First Call to the Last Check
Every home is different, but most jobs follow this order. You see the plan and price before any work starts.
- Visit 1
Inspection
We walk the roof line, soffits, attic, garage, crawl space and yard, and mark every entry point, droppings and rub mark.
- Same visit
Plan and price
You get a written plan with the openings to seal and the price. Nothing starts until you approve it.
- Week 1
Trap and seal
Traps go inside. We seal the main openings with metal and hardware cloth, leaving nothing open that rats can reuse.
- Weeks 1 to 3
Follow up visits
We check the traps, remove rodents and close the last openings once activity stops.
- Final visit
Cleanup
We remove droppings and nest material and sanitize the area. See rodent cleanup.
Rules and resources
Florida Rules and St. Lucie County Resources
A few rules and phone numbers that help Fort Pierce homeowners and businesses deal with rodents the right way.
State law
Chapter 482
In Florida, pest control for hire is licensed under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes, and run by FDACS. Our team is EPA and FDACS certified.
Check a license
Ask for it
Any company working on your home should have an FDACS license. You can look it up with FDACS before you hire.
Debris
County facility
The St. Lucie County Baling and Recycling Facility takes solid waste from county residents. Questions: (772) 462-1768.
Health
CDC advice
The CDC says to wet droppings with disinfectant before cleanup, and never sweep or vacuum them dry.
Source: Florida Statutes Chapter 482; FDACS; St. Lucie County Solid Waste (stlucieco.gov); CDC, Cleaning Up After Rodents.
Primary Fort Pierce response zone
Fort Pierce service coverage
Is your ZIP on the route?
These are the ZIP codes we serve most in Fort Pierce, but we cover all of St. Lucie County. Call if you do not see yours.
3494534946349473494934950349513498134982
Areas we serve
Check my address →
Downtown Fort Pierce · Lincoln Park · Central Fort Pierce · Fort Pierce North · Fort Pierce South · Indian River Estates · South Beach · Hutchinson Island
Fort Pierce FAQ
Fort Pierce Rodent Questions We Answer Often
From citrus trees on the mainland to condos on Hutchinson Island, these are the questions we hear most in Fort Pierce.
Call (561) 562-7607 →Yes. Roof rats are strong climbers and use palms, sea grape, wires and pipes to reach upper floors. In condos they also move between units along pipe and wire paths. We look at your unit, the shared spaces and the trash room, and work with the building when the problem is shared.
They are living near it, not in it. Rats like the cover along seawalls, rock edges, docks and stored boat gear, and the water is close. We check the yard side of the seawall and the house, seal the gaps and place any outdoor bait in locked stations.
It can be. An empty house with tall shrubs and open crawl spaces gives rats a quiet place to grow in number. You cannot control the house next door, so the best step is to seal your own home with metal and keep a clear strip along your walls. You can also report an overgrown property to the City of Fort Pierce code enforcement.
Yes. We work with restaurants, shops, offices, warehouses and marine businesses, including older buildings near the marina and the Sunrise Theatre. We seal entry points, set bait stations outside where they fit, trap inside and keep a record of each visit.
Most homes take about 1 to 3 weeks from sealing and trapping to the last check. Bigger homes, many openings or a vacant lot nearby can take longer. We keep coming back until there is no new activity.
The St. Lucie County Solid Waste Baling and Recycling Facility takes solid waste from county residents. For questions about what they accept and their hours, call the county at (772) 462-1768. Do not leave debris piled against the house, because rats move into it quickly.
Pest control for hire in Florida is licensed under Chapter 482 and overseen by FDACS. Ask the company for its license number and check it with FDACS before you sign anything. Our team is EPA and FDACS certified.
Fort Pierce dispatch is ready
Rats in Your Fort Pierce Home or Business?
Call now. We will inspect the property, show you where rodents are getting in, and seal it so they stay out.
Request Fort Pierce service
Give us a call. We’ll handle the next step.
Call us, tell us what you are seeing and where you are located, and our team will confirm the right appointment type and timing.
Serving Fort PierceFort Pierce, Florida(561) 562-7607Open 24 hours · 7 days a week
