Signs of Rats in Your Villa and What to Do Next

Rat droppings are dark, roughly the size of a grain of rice or larger, and usually found in clusters along walls, behind appliances, in kitchen cupboards and in store rooms. Fresh droppings are shiny and soft; old ones are dry and crumble.

Gnaw marks show up on skirting, door corners, plastic pipes, food packaging and cable insulation. Rats have to keep gnawing to wear their teeth down, so new marks are a strong sign of current activity.

Rats are most active after dark, and false ceilings, roof voids and wall cavities give them warm, hidden runs. Scratching, scurrying or squeaking above the ceiling, especially around kitchens and AC units, often means rats are nesting or travelling there.

Other clues: dark grease marks along walls and pipes where their fur rubs, shredded paper or insulation used as nesting material, and pets staring at or sniffing one particular spot.

The common routes in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain villas are gaps around pipes and AC lines where they pass through walls, damaged drain covers and gully traps, gaps under external doors, vents without mesh, and roof-level openings. Gardens with dense planting, stored items against boundary walls and open bins outside give them cover and food.

A young rat can squeeze through a surprisingly small gap, so a professional inspection checks the whole perimeter rather than just the rooms where you've heard them.

Friends combines removal with exclusion. We locate runs, nests and entry points, place tamper-resistant bait stations and traps where rats travel, and then proof the gaps around pipes, doors and vents so new rodents can't get in. Bait stations are locked boxes, which keeps the bait away from children and pets.

We then monitor and top up on a schedule until activity stops. For food businesses and warehouses we also provide mapped bait-station layouts and service logs for inspections.