Protect Your Home or Business from Rats & Mice with Proven Pest Solutions
Rodents can cause serious damage to homes and businesses by chewing through wires, contaminating food, and spreading disease. If left unchecked, a small rodent issue can quickly turn into a full-blown infestation. At West Pest Co., we specialize in effective rodent control solutions, including prevention, exclusion, and humane removal. Our expert team ensures that your property is protected with long-term rodent prevention strategies that stop infestations before they start.
Not sure if you have a rodent problem? Here are some of the most common signs:
If you notice any of these warning signs, contact West Pest Co. immediately for a professional rodent inspection.
Our proven rodent control process includes:
Rodent problems in Santa Cruz County rarely fix themselves. Our process is designed to stop the infestation, remove the animals, and make sure they can’t come back.
Step 1 — Inspection & Assessment
We start with a thorough walk of your property — interior and exterior. We identify active entry points, nesting areas, travel routes, and conditions attracting rodents (food sources, moisture, harborage). In Santa Cruz County, roof rats and Norway rats behave differently, so correct identification shapes the entire treatment plan.
Step 2 — Exclusion & Entry Point Sealing
This is the most important step and the one most DIY approaches skip. We seal gaps around pipes, vents, rooflines, and foundation gaps using materials rodents cannot chew through — steel wool, hardware cloth, and caulk rated for exterior use. No exclusion means no long-term solution.
Step 3 — Trapping & Removal
We deploy targeted trapping inside and around the structure. We use humane methods where appropriate and check traps on a defined schedule. All removed rodents and nesting material are disposed of safely.
Step 4 — Sanitation Guidance
We walk you through any conditions on your property that are drawing rodents in — unsealed compost, accessible garbage, overgrown vegetation against the structure, or gaps in crawl space screening. Fixing these cuts off the attraction before the next generation moves in.
Step 5 — Follow-Up & Prevention Plan
Santa Cruz’s mild climate means rodents are active year-round, not just in winter. We offer ongoing prevention plans that include scheduled inspections and re-treatment if needed — so a single rodent event doesn’t become a recurring infestation.
Rats leave larger droppings (½ inch or longer), gnaw damage on structural materials, and tend to travel along walls and rafters. Mice leave smaller droppings, chew through food packaging, and nest in cluttered low areas. In Santa Cruz County, roof rats are the most common species — they nest above ground in attics, trees, and wall voids. If you're hearing scratching in the ceiling at night, it's almost certainly roof rats.
Bait stations treat the symptom, not the cause. Rodents will continue entering your home through the same gaps and replenishing from the same population outside. Without exclusion — sealing the entry points — you'll need to keep baiting indefinitely. Professional exclusion is the only permanent fix.
An initial inspection and exclusion service typically takes 2–4 hours depending on property size. Active infestations require follow-up visits to check and clear traps. Most infestations are resolved within 2–3 visits. We'll give you a realistic timeline after the inspection.
Yes. We prioritize methods that are safe for families. Traps are placed in tamper-resistant stations and in areas inaccessible to children and pets. If we use rodenticides, we'll discuss placement and precautions with you before we start. We also offer fully poison-free options for households with concerns.
Seasonal rodent pressure is high in Santa Cruz County because our mild winters don't thin the outdoor population the way colder climates do. If rodents are returning annually, the likely causes are unsealed entry points, nearby food or harborage (fruit trees, bird feeders, compost), or neighboring properties with active infestations. A prevention plan that includes annual inspections and re-sealing is the most cost-effective long-term solution.
A one-time treatment removes the current rodents. A prevention plan adds scheduled inspections and early-intervention re-treatment before a problem grows. For most Santa Cruz County properties, especially those near open space or with mature landscaping, a prevention plan pays for itself by catching problems before they require extensive trapping or structural repairs.
We offer same-week appointments in most cases and can often schedule an inspection within 24–48 hours for urgent situations.
