Roof rats will eat almost anything to stay alive. You may unknowingly be feeding roof rats. Some common household items include:
- House insulation
- House plants
- Paper
- Candle wax
- Trash
- Pet food
- Farm animal feed
- Bird seeds
- Small bugs and lizards
- Tree bark
Roof rats drink from places such as:
- Leaky pipes
- Sprinkler/irrigation systems
- Bird baths
- Pet water bowls
- Air conditioner condensation and/or drip line
- Plant saucers under potted plants
When roof rats have a choice, they prefer a diet similar to squirrels. Foods they consistently seek out include:
- Nuts
- Seeds
- Eggs
- Meat
- Berries
- Fruit
Roof Rats live in Arizona year-round but they come out more frequently as the fruit trees common to the valley start to produce. Some of the fruit trees common to the area include:
- Lemon
- Lime
- Orange
- Grapefruit
- Apple
- Peach
- Plum
- Apricot
- Fig
- Pomegranate
