Wildlife Removal Services: 858-257-3420

For professional rat removal in San Diego, done the correct way, with full exclusion (sealing the entry holes shut) and trapping, with permanent results, call 858-257-3420. They are my recommendation for the best rat control in San Diego CA.

San Diego Rat Control Tip:
How to remove a rat from garden - To remove a rat from the garden you need to look at your property as a whole. Rats are drawn to food; there is no mistaking that fact. What rats don’t like are wide, open spaces where predators can easily spot them. If you wish to have a vegetable garden and cannot keep it in a greenhouse, the next best thing is to have the garden located as far away from other vegetation and structures as possible. Rats are very reluctant to sprint through long expanses of open yard. Doing so is like asking to be picked up by an owl for dinner. Keeping your grass cut shot is another important factor. Again, rats want to be concealed as they make their rounds. Lack of protection will make a rodent think twice about going near the garden. Fences are not practical against rats unless they are un-climbable and extend a few inches into the ground. It is possible to find fencing that meets these criteria, though it will likely be expensive. Sadly, there are no repellents that can be placed around the area to keep rats away. Mothballs, orange peels, dog hair, human hair, and coyote urine sprays are all ineffective. Any professional can tell you as much.

San Diego Rodent Control Email:
David, I have visited your websites several times and read as much as I can. I appreciate and value your time and willingness to offer information to all of us. I only ask this question because I haven't seen the answer anywhere. I live in the Northeast and have rats in my house. I had a pest/rodent control person come to do an inspection to assist in locating the entry point. We have determined that they are likely nesting outside in the rubble of an old front stairwell that was covered by a small wooden porch. They seem to have burrowed under the foundation to get into a crawlspace which is adjacent to our basement. There are 2 piles of dirt inside the crawlspace which appear to go under the foundation. I have seen rats in the basement and have set up traps in some places. I have caught one. I know there are more. I want to seal off the crawlspace. My idea is to place some wire screen on the floor of the crawlspace and attach it to the foundation walls. I would secure it to the concrete of the foundation and have it bent at floor level and extend along the floor of the crawlspace. Do I need to cover the whole crawlspace floor? What size mesh would be acceptable? I have found a 1/4"x 1/4" 23 gauge galvanized metal screen that I can buy. I just want to do it right the first time. Can you give me any thoughts? Thanks for anything you are able to provide.

My response: 1/4 inch metal screen is great. You don't need to cover the whole crawlspace floor. Since I can't see the situation with my own eyes, it's hard for me to tell, but usually repairs are best done OUTSIDE the house, not inside. Once inside the structure, rats can really squirm into a lot of different areas.

No, I understand the complication of having you comment on something sight unseen. The area that they are likely inhabiting outside is under a wooden porch. THe house originally had some brick steps up to a breezeway. Those steps were demolished when the breezeway was renovated to become a part of the living area of the house. The rubble from the steps remained in place and the small porch was built over the brick and other parts of the steps. It is adjacent to the 2 entry places inside, where they have tunneled under the foundation and gained entry to the home. I just thought if they can tunnel under the foundation, they can tunnel under the screen as well. So why not cover the whole area and deny them completely. Would they normally establish a home (burrow) outside and then come inside for food, retreating back outside to safety?