Position beats quantity.
Rodents are creatures of routine. A mouse or rat follows the same line along walls and beams every night, and a trap on that line gets results. A dozen traps in the wrong spots catch nothing and teach the animals to avoid new objects.
The evidence comes first and the spots follow. Snap traps usually sit flush against a wall where animals run. Enclosed stations suit rooms where children or pets roam. Traps for roof rats go up high along beams and pipes.
How a visit unfolds.
- Walk-through to read pellets, grease marks and gnawing.
- Devices set along the routes the signs reveal.
- A written log of each device and its position.
- A recheck, with day and time given ahead.
Rats are wary, so a trap may sit unset for a day to become familiar. Mice are more curious and often investigate within a night or two.
Why poison and glue stay out.
Bait can send a poisoned rodent into a wall or duct to die, and the result is odor and flies. Glue boards hold lizards, songbirds and small pets. Careful trapping avoids both problems.
The EPA restricts some rodenticide products because of risks to children, pets and wildlife, and its page is linked in the sources below. If you already put out store-bought bait, tell the technician where and which product.
| Method. | Suits. | Watch for. |
|---|---|---|
| Snap trap against a wall. | Mice and rats on a known route. | Keep clear of toddlers and big dogs. |
| Enclosed station. | Rooms pets or kids can reach. | Needs regular checks. |
| Raised trap. | Roof rats along beams and pipes. | Needs a stable, safe surface. |
| Retail bait. | Rarely the best first move. | Animals may die inside walls and ducts. |
At home while trapping runs.
Store pet food in tubs, lift bowls at night and leave the devices where they are. If one has snapped, avoid touching it bare-handed and phone the number on this page to describe what happened.
Trapping alone does not end the problem, because new animals arrive if gaps stay open. Entry point sealing and the inspection page show how the whole job fits.
Wondering what an inspection covers? Ask during the call and a person will explain.
Tap to call (888) 686-4821Knowing it is over.
The job is finished when traps stay empty through the recheck period, fresh pellets stop appearing and nights are quiet. Then the area is ready for cleanup or repairs.
Hold the broom: read this first
None of this needs a phone call. It echoes what health agencies tell every household that finds droppings.
- Wet it first, wipe it second, and sweep nothing.
- Give a shed, garage or crawl space that has been shut a half hour of cross-breeze before going in.
- Gloves go on at the start and your hands go under the tap at the end.
- Spray the pellets and the surface beneath until glistening, using a household disinfectant or bleach mixed to the label. After about five minutes, take it up with paper towels.
- Pick a bag that seals well, with gloves or a tool between you and the animal.
- Flu-like symptoms after a cleanup deserve a word with a physician, since diagnosis is outside our work.
Where the safety steps come from
Agency guidelines stand behind every safety statement here, and each comes with a line about its contents.
- CDC steps for preventing hantavirus exposure: Tips for limiting rodent contact in homes, sheds and vehicles, taken from the CDC hantavirus section.
- CDC advice on cleaning rodent droppings and nests: Ventilate, soak, bag: the order of work the CDC lays out.