Rat Control in Colorado Springs
Rats aren't the first rodent most people in Colorado Springs think of. Mice and pack rats get more of the attention. But Norway rats are here. A CSU Extension expert answering a question from the Boulder County foothills put it plainly: Norway rats are common in Colorado, and roof rats can be found too.
Before you call, it's worth figuring out whether you've got a rat or a pack rat, because the jobs differ. Norway rats dig burrows and stay close to trash, compost and feed. Pack rats build stick nests in sheds and engine bays and haul off small objects.
Signs of Norway rats
Norway rats are ground rats. They dig. Look for burrows along foundations, under sheds and slabs, beside compost bins and along creek banks. Droppings are much bigger than mouse droppings, closer to the size of a raisin. Other things people notice:
- Burrow holes at the base of a fence, shed or slab
- Paths worn through grass along a wall
- Gnawed garbage cans, compost bins or feed bins
- Heavier thumping in a crawl space or basement wall
Where rats live in town
The city sits along Fountain Creek, and creeks and drainage channels give rats water and cover. Older commercial areas with alleys and dumpsters, compost bins in backyards and bird feeders that drop seed all help them. Restaurants and businesses that see rats around their trash should look at a regular service program with exterior stations.
What the provider does
Trapping and, where it makes sense, bait in locked, tamper-resistant stations outside. Burrows get watched to see which ones are active. Then the gaps get closed: the space under a shed, holes in a foundation, gaps around utility lines and doors. Entry sealing covers the materials. Keep trash in cans with tight lids, pick up dropped seed and move compost away from the house.
Questions people ask
Is it a rat or a pack rat?
Look at what it leaves behind. Pack rats build stick nests and collect odd objects. Norway rats dig burrows near food and trash.
Can rats get into the house from the yard?
Yes, through gaps at the foundation, around pipes and under doors. Closing those is part of the job.
Available in Briargate, Rockrimmon, Black Forest, Monument and Tri-Lakes, Falcon and Peyton, Broadmoor and Cheyenne Cañon, Manitou Springs, Old Colorado City and the West Side, Fountain, Security-Widefield, Powers and Stetson Hills.