Aptos Hills-Larkin Valley's Exclusion-First Rodent Team

Rat droppings run larger, roughly rice-grain size or bigger; mouse droppings are smaller and more pointed, and noise timing differs too. A full inspection covers roofline and chimney access alongside the foundation, since rodents use whichever gap is easiest.

Exclusion is the permanent piece; trapping without it just resets the clock. We'd rather take the extra time to seal every gap properly than leave one open and get a callback in a few months.

We'd wait — disturbed droppings can aerosolize particles, and our crew handles that with proper PPE.

Most homes wrap in one visit for trapping and sealing, with a follow-up a week or two out to confirm.

Mechanical trapping and sealing come first, especially around pets and kids; bait stations are reserved for specific situations like commercial perimeters.

Pet food left out and gaps around utility lines are frequent culprits we flag on inspection. We recommend a seasonal walk-around of the foundation, since freeze-thaw cycles can open new gaps.