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Rat Removal and Control in Austin, TX

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Professional Rat Removal in Austin, TX

Cen-Tex Wildlife Control specializes in rat and mouse removal and exclusion for homes and businesses of every shape and size across Austin, TX. We don't just remove the rats.
Rat Removal in Austin TX, Rodent Removal in /a
We seal the entry points they use to get in, and we clean up the droppings and contamination they leave behind. Austin is home to a lot of rats, and while most of them are roof rats, we also deal with Norway rats, and mice are a year-round nuisance here. Whether you need emergency rat removal, a full infestation cleanup, or a humane, long-term exclusion plan, our rat removal specialists are available 24/7 and offer affordable service you can count on. Don't let rodents damage your home. Contact Cen-Tex Wildlife Control today to schedule a professional inspection.

Signs You Have a Rat Infestation in Your Austin Home

Rats are experts at staying hidden, and by the time you see one, the problem has usually been growing for weeks. Roof rats, Norway rats, and mice are most active at night, so the early warning signs are easy to miss. If you notice any of the following, it's time to call a professional.
  • Scratching, scurrying, or squeaking noises. Sounds in your attic, walls, or ceiling at dusk or overnight are the most common first sign. Roof rats prefer high areas like attics and rooflines, while Norway rats stay lower, in crawl spaces, garages, and basements.
  • Droppings. Rat droppings are dark, pellet-shaped, and typically found along walls, in corners, in attics, and near food sources. Fresh droppings are dark and moist, while older ones look dry and gray. Droppings can carry bacteria and disease, so avoid handling them without proper protection.
  • Gnaw marks and chewed materials. Rodents constantly chew to keep their teeth worn down. Look for damaged wood, insulation, cardboard, food packaging, and especially electrical wiring, which is a serious fire hazard.
  • Grease marks and rub marks. Rats follow the same routes along walls, pipes, and beams, leaving dark, greasy smudges from the oils in their fur.
  • Nests and nesting materials. Shredded paper, fabric, insulation, and dried plant material tucked into attics, wall voids, or storage areas are a clear sign rodents have settled in.
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How can we help you with your rat issue?

Why Full Property Exclusion Is the Only Lasting Solution

Rats and mice aren't bugs, and treating them like bugs is why the problem keeps coming back. Traps and poison deal with the rodents you can see, but they do nothing about how those rodents got in. The only reliable fix is to find and seal every entry point so nothing can get back inside. At Cen-Tex Wildlife Control, we treat rodents as the wildlife they are. Our approach goes after the cause of your problem, not just the symptoms.
How It Works
First, we humanely and thoroughly remove the rats and mice already on your property. Next, we complete a full property exclusion, inspecting your home from roofline to foundation and sealing every gap, hole, and weak spot rodents use to get in. Finally, your work is backed by our warranty. If rodents return during your warranty period, we come back and make it right at no additional cost, unless your contract states otherwise.
Our Promise
We don't offer endless treatments or temporary fixes. Our goal is a permanent solution, done right the first time. Ready to get rid of rodents for good? Call Cen-Tex Wildlife Control today to schedule your inspection.

Built to Last: Materials Matter

Rats can chew through almost anything, and they treat your home or business as their own. That's why we use heavy-duty, professional-grade materials that stand up to chewing and the Texas heat. We recommend avoiding DIY fixes and contractors who rely on expandable foam. It looks bad, breaks down in the Texas sun, and rats chew right through it or simply find another way in.

Why Pesticides and Repellents Don't Solve Rat Problems

Many pest control companies treat rats like insects, relying on poison, repellents, or ongoing trapping programs. That approach fails for a few reasons. It doesn't fix the cause. Poison and repellents do nothing to close the entry points rats use to get in, so new rats keep coming. It keeps you paying. Monthly, quarterly, or yearly treatment plans can continue indefinitely without ever solving the problem. Poisoned rats die in your walls. We regularly get calls about dead rats in attics, walls, and yards, almost always after poison was used. Removing them can mean cutting open walls and replacing contaminated insulation. Bug treatments are made for bugs. Rats are wildlife, and solving a rat problem takes a wildlife specialist who removes the animals and seals every way back in.
Dead Rodent Removal in Austin TX, Dead Rat Removal in Austin TX

Rat Droppings Are Dangerous and Must Be Removed

Rat and mouse feces are hazardous to your health. For details, see our Dangerous Animal Feces page. Cen-Tex Wildlife Control can remove all fecal matter along with any saturated insulation. We recommend removing and replacing all of the insulation in an affected attic. Rats and mice tunnel through insulation, and those tunnels can't be seen from the surface. Heavy buildup of droppings often hides underneath the top layers, and it only becomes visible once the insulation is pulled up. Replacing it all is the only way to be sure the contamination is gone. To learn more about our fecal cleanup and insulation removal process, visit our Attic Decontamination page.

Roof Rats: Austin's Most Common Rat

Roof rats are the most common rat in Austin, and they are the species behind most of the attic and wall infestations we see. Also called black rats or fruit rats, they are agile, strong climbers that prefer to live high off the ground. Where a Norway rat digs burrows in the soil, a roof rat looks up, which is why your attic, roofline, and wall voids are exactly where they want to be. Roof rats run along power lines, fences, tree branches, and rooflines, and they can jump surprisingly far between them. Overhanging limbs, utility lines, and vines give them an easy route onto your roof, where they look for gaps at vents, soffits, rooflines, and utility penetrations. A gap about the size of a quarter is enough for an adult to squeeze through. They are mostly nocturnal, so the first signs are often at night.

What Does a Roof Rat Look Like?

Roof rats are dark brown to black, slender, and 13 to 18 inches long including the tail. They weigh 5 to 9 ounces and have large, nearly hairless ears. Their droppings are long and cylindrical. Roof rats are slender, with smooth fur that ranges from black to brown or gray and a lighter belly. Adults are typically 6 to 8 inches long, not counting a tail that is longer than their head and body combined. They have large ears, a pointed nose, and big eyes. Those features make them noticeably sleeker than the stockier Norway rat.

What Do Roof Rats Eat, and What Attracts Them to Your Home?

Roof rats are opportunistic feeders, and in Central Texas they rarely have to look far for a meal. They lean toward fruits, nuts, and seeds, which is why they're also called fruit rats. Around Austin homes, their favorites include citrus, figs, persimmons, pecans, acorns, and walnuts, along with bird seed, pet food left outside, and fruit that drops and rots on the ground. When natural food runs short, they turn to garbage, compost piles, and stored items in the pantry or garage. Because roof rats feed at night and prefer to stay off the ground, they use the same overhead routes every evening. Cleaning up the yard helps, but it won't solve the problem alone. A complete exclusion that seals every entry point, paired with a few simple habits, is what keeps roof rats out for good.

How Do Roof Rats Travel to Your Attic and Walls?

Roof rats can enter through any opening larger than a nickel, and they are skilled at finding one. They look for shelter that is safe from predators, close to food, and ideal for nesting, and an attic checks every box. It is warm, dry, quiet, and full of soft insulation they can shred into nests. From the roofline, they slip in through gaps at vents, soffits, fascia boards, roof edges, and utility lines. They don't even need an existing hole. Roof rats gnaw constantly and can chew through wood, plastic, drywall, aluminum siding, and soft metals. A small gap quickly becomes a bigger one, which is why a minor entry point left unsealed often turns into a major repair. Once inside, they follow pipes and wiring into wall voids, leaving droppings and urine and damaging insulation, ductwork, and wiring. That creates both a health concern and a fire risk. Sealing the openings you can see isn't enough, because roof rats will test every weak spot until they find one that works. A professional inspection from the roofline to the foundation finds every entry point, and a complete exclusion closes them all with materials rats can't chew through.

Ways to Make Your Property Less Attractive to Roof Rats

Pick fruit and nuts from your trees as soon as they ripen, and clear fallen fruit, pecans, and acorns from the ground each week. Roof rats feed at night, so even a few pieces left under a tree can bring them to your yard. Store pet food and bird seed in sealed metal or hard plastic containers, and bring pet bowls inside before dark. Use trash cans with tight-fitting lids, and keep compost piles covered and away from the house. Trim branches that touch or hang over your roof, keeping them at least four to six feet from the structure, and cut back vines and shrubs growing up the walls. These are the overhead routes roof rats use to reach your attic. Fix leaky pipes and outdoor faucets, and remove standing water from planters, pet dishes, and low spots in the yard. Roof rats need water every day, so cutting off easy sources makes your property less appealing. These habits reduce what draws roof rats to your home, but they can't close the gaps they use to get inside. For lasting protection, pair them with a professional inspection and a complete exclusion from Cen-Tex Wildlife Control.

Tired of Rats in Your Austin Home? Let's Get Them Out and Keep Them Out for Good

Contact Cen-Tex Wildlife Control today to schedule a professional rat inspection anywhere in Central Texas. We'll find every entry point, remove the rats humanely, and seal your property so they can't come back.