Rat Removal & Extermination in Colorado Springs, CO

Rat removal in Colorado Springs is a different job than mouse removal, both in the animal's behavior and in the damage it can do. Rodent Control Colorado Springs handles Norway rats and roof rats across Colorado Springs and El Paso County, including infestations already established in wall voids, crawlspaces, and building foundations. Rats are larger, more destructive, and more habitual than mice, which means the removal process has to account for burrow systems, repeated travel paths, and entry points strong enough to resist a much stronger set of teeth.

Norway Rats vs. Roof Rats in Colorado Springs — Two Very Different Problems

Both species show up across Colorado Springs, but which one you have changes where we look and how we treat it. Norway rats — also called brown or sewer rats — stay at ground level, burrow along foundations, and are commonly associated with older infrastructure and drainage systems. Roof rats are lighter and far better climbers, entering through rooflines, overhanging branches, and upper-level gaps rather than ground-level burrows.

Why Rats Are More Destructive Than Mice

A rat's incisors, like a mouse's, never stop growing — but a rat's jaw strength lets it gnaw through material a mouse can't touch, including soft aluminum flashing, PVC piping, and structural wood. Rats also produce more urine and larger droppings, travel the same paths repeatedly (leaving visible grease and rub marks), and are capable of expanding a small gap into a much larger entry hole over a matter of weeks rather than months.

Health Risks Rats Carry in Colorado

Rats are associated with leptospirosis, spread through contact with urine-contaminated water or soil, along with salmonella and general contamination risk from droppings near food-prep or storage areas. Unlike the airborne hantavirus risk tied to deer mice, leptospirosis exposure typically requires direct contact — which is still a real concern in garages, crawlspaces, and basements where rats have been active.

Signs of a Rat Infestation

• Capsule-shaped droppings roughly 3/4 inch long, larger and darker than mouse droppings
• Gnaw marks on wood, wiring, and even soft metal or PVC
• Greasy rub marks along baseboards and beams from repeated travel along the same path
• Burrow openings near the foundation, especially close to landscaping or mulch beds
• Louder scratching or thumping in walls or ceilings at night than you'd expect from mice

How Rats Get Into Homes and Businesses

Norway rats typically enter through foundation gaps, damaged sewer or drain line connections, and low garage door seals. Roof rats enter through roofline gaps, soffit damage, and tree branches that overhang the roof. In older Colorado Springs neighborhoods, aging infrastructure and mature landscaping both increase the number of realistic entry points, which is why an inspection has to cover the full exterior perimeter and roofline, not just the areas where activity has already been seen.

Our Rat Removal Process

We inspect the property to confirm species, locate burrow systems or roofline access points, and identify active travel paths. Exclusion work uses heavier-gauge steel mesh and sealant than a mouse job typically requires, since rats can chew through lighter materials over time. We trap and remove the existing population, seal foundation gaps and burrow entries, and schedule a follow-up visit to confirm the exclusion is holding — because a rat that finds its old entry point sealed will often test the perimeter for a new one within days.

What Attracts Rats to a Property in the First Place

Rats are opportunists, and a property doesn't need to be dirty or neglected to attract them — it just needs to offer easy food, water, or shelter. Unsecured trash, pet food left outside overnight, bird feeders with spilled seed underneath, fruit trees that drop fruit onto the ground, and standing water from a leaking hose bib or poor drainage are all common draws in Colorado Springs yards. Clutter near the foundation, stacked firewood, and dense, untrimmed landscaping all provide the additional cover rats look for before committing to a burrow or nest site nearby.

Where Rats Hide in Colorado Springs Properties

Norway rats concentrate their activity near the foundation — crawlspaces, basements, gaps beneath concrete slabs, and burrows dug along the exterior perimeter, often hidden under mulch beds, woodpiles, or dense landscaping. Roof rats take the opposite approach, nesting in attics, soffits, and dense tree canopy overhanging the roofline, then working their way down into wall voids from above. Detached garages, sheds, and older outbuildings with any foundation gap are common secondary hiding spots for both species, which is why a rat inspection needs to cover the full property, not just the interior living space.

Seasonal Rat Activity and Why Timing Matters

Rat populations in Colorado Springs follow a similar seasonal pattern to mice, building through the warmer months and pushing indoors as fall temperatures drop. Because rats are more habitual than mice — reusing the same travel paths and burrow systems year after year once established — an infestation that isn't fully resolved one winter often resurfaces in the same location the following fall. This is part of why exclusion work matters even more with rats than with mice: sealing a burrow entry that's been used for multiple seasons removes a well-worn path, not just a single access point.