entry 03 · Pressure rises sharply October–February as rain pushes rodents indoors.
Mice & rats
Mus musculus · Rattus norvegicus
Portland's Norway rats and house mice follow gaps, not bait. We seal entry points first — trapping without exclusion is a subscription to rodents.
One-time treatment from $329
Baseline: detached house, 1,500–2,500 sq ft, low severity. Includes the follow-up noted below. Exact price in writing on site, before work starts.
Price my situationfield signs
What you're probably seeing
- Droppings in more than one area
- Noises in walls or ceiling at night
- Gnaw marks on food packaging or wiring
- Activity continuing for more than two weeks
The instant quote asks about these same signs — the more of them you're seeing, the higher in the range your price lands, and we'd rather show you that math than surprise you with it.
treatment approach
How we treat it
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01
Full-perimeter entry survey
Crawlspace vents, garage-door sweeps, utility penetrations, foundation gaps — anything over ¼ inch for mice, ½ inch for rats gets mapped and photographed.
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02
Exclusion before anything else
We seal the entry points we can reach with rodent-proof materials (hardware cloth, sheet metal, sealant) as part of the job — up to three openings included, larger repairs quoted separately.
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03
Snap traps indoors, secured stations outdoors
Indoors we use snap traps we check and remove — no rodenticide inside your living space, ever. Exterior bait stations are locked, anchored, and tamper-resistant.
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04
Two follow-ups included
Rodent work is a process, not an event. Your one-time price includes two return visits over about four weeks to clear traps, verify seals, and confirm it's over.
Covered year-round?
Yes — mice & rats are covered on the Fernwell Plus plan ($89/visit, quarterly), including free re-treats between visits.
before we arrive
Your prep checklist
Ten minutes of prep does more for results than an extra gallon of anything we could spray. Here's the whole list — nothing hidden until the confirmation email.
- Clear access to the attic hatch, crawlspace door, and under-sink areas
- Bag and bin any gnawed food packaging
- Move bird feeders away from the house (or pause them for a month)
- Note where you hear noise and at what time of night
- Keep garage doors closed the week of the visit
the honesty block
What to realistically expect
- Activity typically ends 1–3 weeks after sealing; noise may briefly increase as rodents test closed routes
- We don't use glue boards, and we don't place rodenticide indoors — if another company quotes that, ask why
- Ivy on walls, unsecured compost, and fruit trees will keep pressure high; we'll list what we saw, without lecturing
next step
Get a number, not a pitch
Six questions, real arithmetic, and a range your technician confirms in writing before any work starts.
or call (503) 555-0164 — Mon–Fri 7:30 am – 5:30 pm · Sat 8 am – 1 pm