Southside Hampton Roads is experiencing a surge in the number of roof rats.
Charlie Church of Getem Services Pest Control says "It's not just Norfolk it's not just Chesapeake it's all of Hampton Roads except the Peninsula because of the channel" he said.
Church said the rats are cannibals and have forced the larger more known Norway rats out.
He said roof rats like to get in people's homes to stay warm. Once inside a home they can chew on electrical equipment and wiring. This can cause dangerous conditions and even start a fire the pest expert explained.
Church also said the rats can pose health problems, "If you're asthmatic you can have a lot of urine and fecal matter in the attic."
Roof rats can climb on practically any surface. They eat through practically anything including concrete and they're hard to get rid of. Church said if you hear things in your attic at night, chances are you might have roof rats. They look like squirrels without the fuzzy tails.
Church also said you could poison them but he recommends trapping them instead. Trapping eliminates the potential for unpleasant smells and flies that could occur with dead rats.
Even though Church is an expert, he even has a hard time exterminating them from people's houses.
