How rats differ from mice.
Rats are larger, warier and far stronger than mice. A Norway rat digs burrows beside foundations, under sheds and below patios. A roof rat prefers heights and travels along wires, fences and branches. Either can chew through wood, plastic and soft metal flashing.
They also behave differently around traps. A mouse investigates anything new, while a rat avoids it for days. That is why rat work tends to run over more than one visit, with traps left unset or covered at first so the animals grow used to them.
Start in the yard.
Rats rarely appear in a house without leaving clues outdoors. Look for smooth runways through grass, burrows about two inches wide and greasy rub marks along a fence or the base of a wall. On a wooded lot, add limbs that touch the roof.
- Bird feeders that drop seed onto the ground.
- Compost piles and open trash cans.
- Dog food stored outdoors or left in bowls overnight.
- Firewood and lumber stacked on the ground against a wall.
- Dense ground cover pressed against the foundation.
Where your property borders open ground or preserved land, such as the large green spaces in town, expect wildlife to travel the boundary. We make no claim about any particular park, and we begin the walk-through at that boundary.
Getting the animals out.
Rat work uses rat-sized snap traps and tamper-resistant stations along the runways found in the yard. Each sits beyond children and pets, and the technician shows you where. The trapping and removal page describes the method.
Rat poison is a poor shortcut. A poisoned rat can die inside a wall or the attic, and the smell can last for weeks. Federal rules restrict what homeowners may buy, and the EPA link in the sources block explains why.
Closing the way in.
| Where rats enter. | What stops them. | Notes. |
|---|---|---|
| Roof edge and soffit gaps. | Metal flashing and vent guards. | Check after any roof or gutter work. |
| Gaps around pipes and wires. | Mesh packed in, then sealant. | Foam alone gets chewed away. |
| Crawl space or basement vents. | Heavy hardware cloth. | Light screen tears easily. |
| Garage door bottom. | Heavy seal or threshold repair. | Look for light under the door. |
Sealing comes after the catches slow down, never before, so nothing is shut inside a wall. The exclusion page explains the materials, and yard and outdoor control covers the habits that feed the problem.
Mouse or rat is not something you must settle first. Describe the sign and we will work it out together.
Ring (888) 686-4821What a good result looks like.
Fresh runways stop appearing, the attic goes quiet and traps stay empty on consecutive checks. If insulation was soiled or ducts were chewed, attic and crawl space cleanup and damage repair follow as separate lines.
Safety steps for waste and nests
It is general information from federal public health pages, not medical advice, and your own doctor always comes first.
- Leave dry pellets and nest bits alone until they are wet, and do not blow, brush or vacuum them.
- A garage, shed or attic closed up for a while needs air before you work in it, so open it and wait around half an hour.
- Protect your hands throughout, then scrub them clean at the end.
- Dampen every stain and pellet with disinfectant, then allow about five minutes before lifting them away.
- Wipes and droppings go into a bag that closes tightly, and a carcass never touches bare skin.
- Fever, aches or breathing difficulty after contact with waste deserve a physician's attention. We make no claims about anyone's health.
Public guidelines this page relies on
The links below go to the original wording, which belongs to no company and carries no sales pitch.
- CDC: cleaning up after rodents: A damp-method routine for homes, with the reason behind each step.
- CDC: hantavirus prevention: The seal-up guidance behind the sealing and housekeeping suggestions in this guide.
Wondering about your own house? Talk to a person at any hour.
Ring (888) 686-4821