Running in the ceiling
Quick footsteps or scratching above the ceiling after dark. Roof rats are most active a few hours after sunset.
Scratching in the attic or droppings in the garage? Florida Rodent Control Pros removes rats and mice from homes and businesses across the Village of Palm Springs, from the canal-front streets of the original 1957 townsite to the apartment and condo communities along Congress Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard. We find how they got in, seal it, and remove the rodents already inside.
Rodent problem right now? Our team is taking calls in Palm Springs.
Call (561) 562-7607The Village of Palm Springs was incorporated on May 31, 1957, on land that had been a 700-acre dairy farm run by William A. Boutwell. The original townsite was built around a chain of artificial, north-to-south lakes linked by canals, engineered that same year to drain the land. That canal system still runs through the village today, and it is a big reason rats do not slow down here.
Roof rats are the rodent we remove most often in Palm Springs. They travel along ficus hedges, queen palms and power lines that run through the older residential streets, then drop onto the roof and get in through soffit gaps and attic vents. Norway rats stay lower and closer to water. We find them along canal banks and seawalls in the original 1957 townsite, and around dumpsters behind the retail strips on Congress Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard.
Palm Springs is a small village, just 4.25 square miles, wedged between Greenacres, Lake Clarke Shores, Lake Worth Beach, Atlantis and West Palm Beach. Housing here is a mix of older concrete block homes from the 1960s and 70s and a large number of apartment and condo communities along the two main commercial corridors, so we see both single-family and multi-family rodent jobs every week.
We run the same 9 services in Palm Springs that we run everywhere in Palm Beach County, from a first inspection through full exclusion and cleanup. The mix of canal-front homes and apartment communities here means we handle both single-family attics and shared multi-family buildings regularly.
Rodents move at night, so most Palm Springs homeowners find these clues before they ever see one. If you notice 2 or more, it is time for an inspection.
Quick footsteps or scratching above the ceiling after dark. Roof rats are most active a few hours after sunset.
Dark pellets about 1/2 inch long point to rats. Tiny ones about 1/8 inch point to mice.
Rats gnaw on wiring, AC insulation and irrigation lines. This can lead to shorts, leaks and costly repairs.
Small holes near seawalls, docks or drainage banks are a Norway rat sign common on Palm Springs’ original chain-of-lakes streets.
Urine and nesting material leave a sharp odor, often strongest in closets, cabinets and the attic hatch.
Dogs or cats staring at a wall, sniffing under appliances or pawing at a cabinet often sense rodents first.
Roof rats cause most attic calls in Palm Springs, Norway rats show up along the canal banks and around dumpsters on Congress Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard, and house mice get into kitchens and pantries in both single-family homes and apartment units. Knowing which one you have tells us where to look and how to stop it.
Every job in Palm Springs starts with a full inspection, inside and out. We look for how rodents get in, where they live, and what is feeding them.
Trapping alone does not fix the problem if the openings stay open. We close the way in first, then remove the rodents already inside.
The CDC links rats and mice to several diseases. People can get sick from contact with droppings, urine or saliva, from bites, or from breathing dust from contaminated areas.
Source: CDC rodent control and cleanup guidance.
In Florida, pest control companies are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) under Chapter 482, Florida Statutes. Rodent work falls under the General Household Pest and rodent control category.
Our team is EPA and FDACS certified. Call (561) 562-7607 with any questions.
We look at the whole property, from the roofline to the canal bank. What we check depends on how the home or unit is built, since a 1960s block house and a Congress Avenue apartment have very different weak spots.
A rat can squeeze through a gap about 1/2 inch wide, and a mouse through about 1/4 inch.
Setting traps without sealing the openings only buys time. We follow the same 5 steps on every job so the rats do not come back.
We walk the property, check the attic and mark every entry point and sign of activity.
Openings are closed with metal flashing, 1/4 inch hardware cloth, mesh and mortar. We do not rely on foam.
Traps go on the paths rats use. We check them on return visits and remove what we catch.
Droppings and nests are removed and the area is disinfected. We tell you if insulation needs replacing.
We come back until there are no new signs, then give you simple tips to keep it that way.
The number of visits depends on how many rats are inside and how many openings the home or unit has. We tell you what to expect after the first inspection.
According to the CDC, rats and mice can spread disease through their droppings, urine, saliva and bites. These are the main concerns.
Can spread when dust from dried droppings or urine is stirred up and breathed in. This is why you should never sweep droppings.
Spread through water or soil that has rodent urine in it. Standing water near the canal after heavy rain can be a concern.
Food and counters touched by rodents or their droppings can carry salmonella bacteria.
Spread by bites or scratches, or by handling rodents. Always use gloves or tools, never bare hands.
Rodents carry fleas and mites that can move to pets and people after the rodents are gone.
Chewed wires can start fires, and chewed water or AC lines can cause leaks inside walls.
A lot of common advice makes a rat problem last longer. Here is what actually works.
A single mouse in the kitchen can sometimes be handled with a few snap traps. Rats along a canal bank or in a shared attic are a different job.
The problem with DIY: most store-bought fixes catch rats but leave the openings in place, so new rats move in from the canal, a neighbor’s hedge or the next unit.
Ask a technician →| Situation | DIY | Professional |
|---|---|---|
| One mouse seen once | Snap traps may be enough | Call if it comes back |
| Noises in the attic | Hard to reach and seal safely | Roofline sealing and attic trapping |
| Droppings in several rooms | Usually means many rodents | Full inspection and plan |
| Chewed wires or AC lines | Risk of fire or leaks | Find the source and seal it |
| Burrows along the canal bank | Hard to treat safely near water | Bait and seal ground-level entry points |
| Rats in a shared apartment wall | Can push rodents into a neighbor’s unit | Coordinated sealing across shared walls |
Palm Springs is mostly older concrete block houses and a large number of apartment and condo communities. The way a property is built tells us where to look first.
From block homes along the original 1957 canal system to apartment and condo units off Forest Hill Boulevard, each property has its own weak spots. We look at the roofline, attic, canal-side yard and shared walls, then seal the openings rats are using.
We check soffits, vents and roof edges, then walk you through what we found.
Openings are closed with metal flashing, hardware cloth and mortar, not foam alone.
Indoor trapping avoids dead rodents in the walls and keeps bait away from kids and pets.
We remove droppings and nests and tell you if insulation should be replaced.
Restaurants, retail plazas and offices line Congress Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard, with shared dumpster areas and doors that open all day. Florida restaurants are inspected by the DBPR Division of Hotels and Restaurants, and signs of rodents are something inspectors look for.
Regular visits to check traps and stations, planned around your business hours.
A record of each visit that you can show a manager or inspector.
Door sweeps and ground-level gaps closed with rodent-proof materials.
Simple changes to dumpster areas and dry storage that make your site less attractive to rats.
Palm Springs is only 4.25 square miles, but the four corners of the village are built differently. Here is what we usually check first in each one.
Homes on the north-south lakes and canals engineered in 1957 have seawalls, docks and drainage banks. Norway rats burrow here and use docks and pool decks as a path to the house.
A busy commercial strip of restaurants, retail plazas and offices. Dumpster corrals and back-of-house doors are the usual entry points, and we set up scheduled commercial service here.
A mix of retail plazas and apartment and condo communities. Shared attics, breezeways and courtyard landscaping give rodents room to move between units.
Quieter residential streets of older concrete block homes on the west side of the village. Soffit gaps and overhanging trees are the usual roof rat entry points.
The east side of the village, closest to West Palm Beach. A mix of single-family homes and multi-family buildings where we see both attic and ground-level activity.
Multi-family properties built with a range of materials, including some newer construction using recycled-material block systems. We coordinate sealing across shared walls in these buildings.
Palm Springs has a humid subtropical climate with mild winters, so rodents stay active all year. The village’s canal system and wet season change where they go.
Afternoon storms raise water levels in the canal system, flooding burrows along the banks and pushing Norway rats toward garages, sheds and ground-floor units.
Tip: Keep garage doors closed and clear stored items off the floor.
Heavy rain can push canal water higher against seawalls and docks, forcing rats out of their burrows and toward the nearest dry shelter, which is often a home.
Tip: After a storm, walk the canal-side yard and check the roofline.
On cooler nights from December to February, rats look for warm, dry attics and shared building voids. This is when many Palm Springs homeowners first hear them.
Tip: Check vents and soffits in the fall, before cooler weather.
Backyard citrus and mangoes on the older residential streets are an easy meal for roof rats, and a reason they stay close to the house.
Tip: Pick fruit as it ripens and clear what falls every day.
Sealing the openings does most of the work. These habits help keep new rodents from moving in.
Palm Springs is not one kind of property. What we do at a canal-front block home is different from what we do at an apartment building on Forest Hill Boulevard.
Homes built around the 1957 chain-of-lakes townsite back up to canal banks and seawalls, which give Norway rats a place to burrow close to the house.
Our approach: We inspect the bank and dock area, bait and seal ground-level entry points, then check the soffits and vents for a second way in.
Multi-family buildings along Congress Avenue and Forest Hill Boulevard share attics and wall voids, so one unit’s rat problem can spread to the next.
Our approach: We coordinate with the property manager, inspect adjoining units where possible, and seal shared voids with hardware cloth and metal.
On the residential streets near the village borders, mature ficus hedges and queen palms give roof rats a bridge from the yard to the roofline.
Our approach: We trim back the entry path where we can, then seal soffit and vent gaps with metal flashing and hardware cloth.
These steps follow CDC cleanup guidance and help keep your family safe.
Call (561) 562-7607The Village of Palm Springs covers ZIP codes 33406, 33415 and 33461. We cover the whole village and the surrounding Palm Beach County communities. Call if you do not see your ZIP.
Congress Avenue corridor · Forest Hill Boulevard corridor · the original 1957 canal system · streets bordering Greenacres and Haverhill Road · streets bordering Lake Clarke Shores and Lake Worth Beach
“Florida Rodent Control Pros found the gap in our soffit right away and sealed it the same visit. No more scratching in the attic.”
Rosa M.Palm Springs, FL
Verified“We had rats coming in from the canal bank behind our house. They sealed it up and checked back twice to make sure it held.”
David P.Palm Springs, FL
Verified“Our property on Congress Avenue had a rodent issue between units. They coordinated with tenants and got it handled quickly.”
Luis T.Palm Springs, FL
VerifiedHave a question that is not listed? Call and a team member will help.
Call (561) 562-7607 →Most homes need a first visit for the inspection and sealing, then follow-up visits over the next few weeks to check traps. The exact number depends on how many rats are inside and how many openings the property has. We tell you what to expect after the first inspection.
The original townsite was built around a chain of artificial lakes linked by canals, engineered in 1957 for drainage. Norway rats burrow along the banks and seawalls of that system and use docks and pool decks as a path to the house. We seal the ground-level entry points they use.
We do not recommend it. Poisoned rats often die inside walls or ceilings where you cannot reach them, which causes a strong smell. Trapping indoors and sealing the openings works better.
Yes. Multi-family buildings in Palm Springs often have shared attics and wall voids, so we coordinate with property managers and, where possible, check adjoining units so the problem does not just move next door.
Yes, in many cases. Heavy rain raises water levels in the canals and can flood burrows along the banks, pushing Norway rats toward garages, sheds and ground-floor units. It is worth checking your roofline and yard after a heavy storm.
The CDC advises not to sweep or vacuum droppings. Air out the area, wear gloves, spray the droppings with disinfectant or a bleach solution, let it soak for 5 minutes, then wipe up with paper towels. For attics or large amounts, call us.
Pest control businesses in Florida are licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). You can look up a license on the FDACS website before you hire anyone.
Yes. We also serve Greenacres, West Palm Beach, Boynton Beach, Royal Palm Beach and Wellington. Call (561) 562-7607 to check your address.
Call now. We will inspect the property, show you where rodents are getting in, and seal it so they stay out.
Call us, tell us what you are seeing and where you are located, and our team will confirm the right appointment type and timing.
These pictures come from our own inspection cameras and job sites: rats caught in traps, mice under cabinets, the entry points we find, and the sealing work that keeps them out.
Rat caughtClose-up of a rat caught in a cage trap
Exclusion workTechnician sealing a block wall gap with mortar
Entry point foundRat squeezing past an unsealed pipe penetration in a wall
Kitchen inspectionThree mice caught on camera under a cabinet
Trap cameraNight camera photo of a rat at a snap trap
Attic inspectionMouse found near attic insulation
Station checkRat found inside a rodent station during a service check
Entry point checkMouse beside a dryer vent duct
TrappingMouse approaching a trap station near roof trusses
Rat caughtRat caught in a cage trap outside a Florida home
Food source foundMouse feeding on crumbs under a cabinet
Trap cameraNight camera photo of a rat approaching a baited snap trap
Kitchen inspectionMouse moving along a cabinet base
Kitchen inspectionTwo mice under a cabinet, a sign of active activity