I've got a rat in my attic.

I've seen it enter through a hole near my electric junction box.

So I want to seal the hole, but I don't want to seal the rat inside. Is there a best time of day or other time when the rat is most likely to be out of the house? Is there anything I can do to drive it out while I seal the hole?

I'd like to avoid having to trap/kill it if possible. I'd like to just get it out of the house.