Rat removal in Tampa, FL
Critter Guys handles rat removal in Tampa, FL for houses, rentals and restaurants. We trap what’s inside, seal the gaps rats are using, and set bait station boxes outside so the next wave doesn’t get the chance.
- Roof rats, Norway rats and mice
- Every gap mapped and sealed
- Homes and businesses
Hearing rodents? Tell us where
Tell us what you are hearing or seeing. We will get back to you, set up a visit and give you a straight answer on what it takes.
- Firm quote before any work starts
- Call, text or email, your pick
- Licensed and insured in Florida
Quick answer. Critter Guys provides rat removal in Tampa, FL for roof rats, Norway rats and house mice. We inspect the attic, walls, crawl space and yard, trap the rodents inside, seal the openings they use, and place locked bait station boxes outside to cut down on new arrivals. It works for homes and commercial buildings. Call or text (321) 203-6963.
Signs of rats in a Tampa house
You may never see a rat. You’ll almost always find what it leaves behind.
Running in the ceiling after you turn the lights off
Roof rats are most active in the first few hours of darkness. The sound is quick and light, often moving along the same path each night.
Droppings in the garage, pantry or attic
Rat droppings are dark and about the size of a grain of rice or bigger. Fresh ones are shiny. Older ones turn dull and crumbly.
Gnawed fruit on the ground
Hollowed-out oranges or mangoes still hanging on the tree, or half-eaten ones under it, are a classic roof rat sign in Tampa yards.
Greasy rub marks
Rats follow the same routes, and the oil in their fur leaves dark smears along beams, pipes and the edge of holes.
Chewed wiring or AC line insulation
Rats gnaw constantly. Chewed foam around AC lines outside, or bare wire in the attic, is worth taking seriously.
Palms, power lines and the climb to your roof
Roof rats are the rat most often found in Florida attics, and Tampa’s landscaping makes their job easy. Queen palms, sabal palms and dense hedges give them cover and food. Overhead power and cable lines give them a tightrope straight to the eave. Once they’re on the roof, a gap the size of a quarter at a soffit corner or around a plumbing boot is enough.
Norway rats work lower. Along the waterfront, around the port and behind restaurants, they burrow under slabs, sheds and dumpster pads and get in at ground level.
- Fronds touching the roof edge
- Utility lines running to the eave
- Gaps around AC and plumbing lines
- Garage door seals chewed at the corner
On the job
Why Tampa rat removal has to include sealing
Trapping without sealing just thins the population for a while. Tampa yards have a steady supply of rats moving through, and as long as there’s a way into your attic, new ones will move in to replace the ones you caught.
That’s why we treat rat removal as two jobs at once. Inside, we trap. Outside, we close every gap a rat can fit through, using hardware cloth, metal flashing and sealants rats can’t chew. Then we set bait station boxes outside, locked and placed away from kids and pets, to knock down new arrivals before they get to the house. Our Tampa wildlife exclusion service goes deeper on the sealing side.
We don’t put loose poison in attics. A rat that eats bait inside and dies in a wall is a smell problem for weeks. The Orlando rat removal page explains more about why we work this way across Central Florida.
Tampa rodent jobs our customers reviewed
4.9
141 reviews on Google
★★★★★
These guys took care of a pest problem we had in our community of townhomes outside of downtown Orlando. Extremely effective, highly professional, and overall pleasant & fair.
Ryan HoestenGoogle review
★★★★★
Kevin did a great job. He arrived promptly and kept me informed through the process.
Debbie ViscardiGoogle review
★★★★★
Nelson was professional and knowledgeable. We will call Critter Guys again.
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Rat pressure around Tampa neighborhoods
Rats follow food, water and cover, and Tampa has all three almost everywhere. The densest pressure tends to show up in older neighborhoods with mature trees and fruit, near restaurant rows in Ybor City, SoHo and Seminole Heights, and along the water where seawalls and docks give them shelter.
Newer areas like New Tampa aren’t immune. Rats move in from the wooded edges and find gaps in brand-new rooflines where trades left openings around pipes and vents. For other animals that might be causing the noise, see our page on wildlife removal in Tampa.
Tampa at a glance
- Hillsborough County
- Restaurant rows in Ybor and SoHo
- Seawalls along Bayshore and the canals
- Citrus and mango trees in older yards
How we get rid of rats in Tampa homes
Here’s what a typical Tampa rodent job looks like from the first visit to the last.
Inspection
We check the attic, garage, crawl space and the full exterior, and map where rats are getting in and where they’re traveling.
Trapping inside
Traps go along the routes rats actually use, and we check and clear them on follow-up visits until activity stops.
Sealing and bait stations
We close every entry with chew-proof material and set tamper-resistant bait station boxes outside.
Cleanup
Droppings and soiled insulation get removed and the area sanitized. Rodent urine can spread leptospirosis, so this isn’t a job for a broom. Our attic cleanup in Tampa page explains the process.
Habits that make a Tampa yard less rat-friendly
None of these will fix an attic problem alone, but they cut down on how many rats come looking.
- Pick up fallen citrus and mangoes every day or two
- Trim palm fronds and branches back from the roofline
- Keep pet food indoors, including on the lanai
- Store birdseed in sealed metal bins
- Move stacked pavers, lumber and old pots away from the walls
- Use trash cans with tight lids
Rat removal across nearby communities
More Tampa services from Critter Guys
What Tampa homeowners ask about rat removal
Have a question that isn’t here? Call or text (321) 203-6963 and we’ll help.
How much does rat removal cost in Tampa?
We quote once we’ve been through your Tampa home. Cost depends on how many entry points need sealing, how bad the activity is, how many follow-up visits trapping takes, and whether the attic needs cleanup. You’ll get the full picture up front.
Are the rats in my Tampa attic roof rats or Norway rats?
Rats in the attic are almost always roof rats, which are slimmer, climb well and nest high. Norway rats are heavier and tend to stay low, in burrows, crawl spaces and sheds. The inspection tells us which one you have, and the plan changes accordingly.
Do you handle rats for Tampa restaurants and businesses?
Yes. We work with restaurants, offices, property managers and HOAs. Commercial jobs usually lean on exterior bait station boxes and exclusion around doors, utility lines and dumpster areas.
How many visits does a Tampa rat job usually take?
Usually more than one. The sealing and setup happen early, then we come back to check and clear traps until the activity stops. Sealing the house is what keeps it from starting over.
Could the noise be squirrels instead of rats?
It could. Squirrels are loudest in the morning and late afternoon, while rats are busiest after dark. Our squirrel removal in Tampa page covers that side. Either way, the inspection will tell us.
Do you also get rid of mice in Tampa?
Yes. House mice get in through even smaller gaps than rats, often around garage doors, utility penetrations and weep holes. We trap them, seal those openings and clean up the droppings.
Get rats out of your Tampa home
Text or call (321) 203-6963 and tell us when the noise starts at night. When we come out, we’ll show you every gap the rats are using on your Tampa house.