Is there such a thing as a "Flying Rat?" Or are the exterminors / inspectors feeding us a crock of bull?

Question

This is a condominium complex and one of the Co-Owners who is an officer of the condominium association has had termite problems, so she ordered termite inspectors to come around and inspect every unit. We've had no problem with termites or rodents and have installed ultrasonic anti-vermin devices (Riddex) which work quite well in keeping bugs and vermin away.

Yesterday, however, the Co-Owner's termite inspectors (in search of a lucrative new contract) noticed that there was a 3 inch hole in the verticle soffit underneath the drain running along the roof. There are nearby trees so the inspector pronounced this was likely a "flying rat" that jumped from the tree to the roof to knaw it's way in. Well to do so, the rat would have no means of support but to cling to a verticle brick wall on 1 side and knaw over it's right shoulder to the verticle wood on the other building face.

We do have sparrows that build nests and my guess this was the work of sparrows...OR...(cont.)

Answer 1

Yes, they often call bats "flying rats".

I have a couple of woodpeckers that put about 3 inch holes in my house EVERY year. I have a hard time keeping them away. They are a real pain. Once you have the holes then other critters will take advantage of them.

Answer 2

Could it be a bat?

Answer 3

Some people call squirrels 'flying rats.'  :-)

Edit: as Thor says, woodpeckers make perfectly round holes in houses with most of the debris on the outside. Bats don't make holes. they don't have to. Like a rat, a bat can fit into a space the size of the tip of your thumb.

Squirrels don't have to fly to be called flying rats, BTW. Although I agree with the other poster and that is what I call bats, most people are referring to squirrels. The mess could be between the walls, rather than in the building.

I very recently gained, unfortunately, first hand experience with Boring Bees (not sure of spelling). They, like woodpeckers, make nice round holes of various sizes. Try tossing some moth balls into the hole. Rodents don't like moth balls, flying or climbing.

Answer 4

It sounds like your exterminator is probably full of it.  There are some rodents that can glide from tree to tree, using flaps of skin pulled tight between foreleg and hindleg.  However, there are none in the US to my knowledge, and if there were, they wouldn't be chewing into human habitation.

That doesn't mean the hole wasn't made by rats.  Rats can climb brick and other walls, often bracing themselves against drain spouts when they do.  They then can run along gutters and other edges.

And, rats are indeed given to leaping from trees to roof-tops.  They can travel horizontally up to eight feet, if the tree's elevation is right.

Has your exterminator proposed a solution?  If all you need is to outlay some traps and poison in the attic, you can do that yourself.  Regardless if you hire the exterminator or not, patch the hole with something rats can't chew through.  Also, trimming the trees and any wall vegetation (like ivy) is a good idea.  

FYI, if you don't have many bugs or rodents around, don't be too quick to give Riddex the kudos.  Some say those ultrasonic devices work, some say they don't.  If you have a well-manicured landscape and a lack of trash, debris, and open dumpsters, that's more likely the reason you've had a rat-free existence--so far.

Answer 5

This is very common of squirrels. I have seen them, even on 3 story homes doing as yours is. They will even gnaw holes through the inside walls if given a chance. Birds will use a hole as described but something else has to make the hole.