Position counts for more than volume.
A hundred traps in the wrong spots catch nothing, while four on the right wall can clear a kitchen in a week. Edges guide rodents; they repeat the same circuits nightly and shun exposed floor. The technician's job is to find those routes and put a device across each one.
Evidence reveals the routes. Pellets pile at corners, grease darkens the base of walls and pipes, and tooth marks pinpoint the places where an animal stops to chew. The log produced during placement turns those clues into a map of device locations.
Choosing the device.
| Device. | Best used for. | Drawback. |
|---|---|---|
| Snap trap. | Mice along kitchen and garage walls. | Needs placement away from children and pets. |
| Enclosed station. | Rats and homes with pets. | Rats may need days to accept it. |
| Tamper-resistant bait station. | Exterior runs, where policy and law allow. | Poison risks a death inside a wall, so it is used sparingly. |
| Multi-catch box. | Heavy mouse activity in a storeroom. | Needs frequent checking. |
Poison is the least favored tool. A rodent that eats bait can wander into a wall and die there, which creates the smell problem described on our dead rodent page. The EPA restricts the strongest products for good reason, and the link at the bottom of this page explains how.
Learning periods and rechecks.
Rats are wary of anything new, so a station may sit untouched for days. That is normal, and it is why rat jobs run on a revisit schedule and not a single trip. Mice are bolder and often show up in traps the first night.
On each revisit the technician counts catches, resets or moves devices and updates the log. When counts drop to zero and stay there, the devices come out, and the sealing work keeps the problem from returning.
What the household should do.
- Leave the devices where they are, even if the placement looks odd.
- Keep pets and children away from the marked areas.
- Report any catch you notice between visits, but do not handle it bare-handed.
- Keep food in lidded containers so traps are the most interesting thing available.
Questions about what you just read? The line is answered day and night.
(888) 686-4821Trapping near marsh and water.
Properties close to marshes, creeks and bays can see animals moving along waterside vegetation, then crossing a short stretch of lawn to reach a house. Traps in those areas go along fence lines and under decks, and they are checked after storms because water can displace or soak devices. Tell the technician if your lot floods.
Trapping alone never finishes a job. Pair it with sealing so the next group of animals cannot walk in the same door.
Before you call, a protective checklist.
You can follow it without ever calling us; agencies hand the very same advice to every household that finds droppings indoors.
- If the tool in your hand is dry, put it down: brooms, vacuums, compressed air and dusters all qualify.
- Sheds, attics, garages and spare rooms hold stale air when shut, so crack them open and give them half an hour.
- Fingers wander to faces, so leave the gloves on until the final bag is knotted.
- Soak pellets and urine marks in disinfectant or diluted household bleach and leave the liquid alone for about five minutes.
- Lift a carcass using a gloved hand or a shovel, with no bare skin involved.
- A fever that will not break, or a struggle to catch your breath, after exposure warrants a doctor.
Look up the official wording.
Each link carries a one-line summary of its contents.
- Hantavirus prevention tips (CDC): The CDC's hantavirus overview with tips for keeping rodents out of homes and vehicles.
- CDC overview of post-rodent cleaning: Ventilate, soak and bag, in the sequence the CDC publishes.