Got mice or rats? Here’s what actually fixes it

Most people call us after they’ve already tried the easy stuff. A couple of snap traps behind the stove. A plug-in ultrasonic thing from the hardware store. Maybe a box of bait from the garage. And for a week or two, it seems to work. Then the scratching starts again.

That’s not bad luck. It’s how rodents work. A trap catches the mouse in front of you, but it doesn’t touch the ones in the wall, and it does nothing about the gap they used to get in. In Minneapolis, where the first cold snap sends every mouse in the neighborhood looking for a warm basement, an open gap is basically an invitation.

Real rodent control in Minneapolis comes down to three things done in the right order: find out what you have and how it’s getting in, remove the animals that are already inside, then seal the entry points so new ones can’t follow. Skip any one of those and you’ll be dealing with the same problem next fall.

That’s the service we connect you with. One call, a licensed local technician, and a plan that ends the problem instead of managing it.

Signs you’ve got rodents (even if you haven’t seen one)

Mice are shy and rats are cautious, so plenty of people have a real infestation before they ever see a tail. If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to get it checked:

Seeing one mouse almost always means more. Mice breed fast, and a single pair can turn into a few dozen in a season. The sooner you deal with it, the smaller and cheaper the job.

How our rodent control service works

No guesswork and no “just set some traps and see.” Here’s what happens when you call:

1. You call and explain what’s going on. You’ll talk to a real person, not a voicemail box. Tell them what you’re seeing or hearing, and they’ll get a local technician scheduled. Same-day and next-day visits are often available.
2. Full inspection, inside and out. The tech checks the basement, attic, garage, crawl spaces, kitchen, and the outside of the house, from the foundation and sill plate up to the roofline. The goal is to find every way in, not just the obvious one.
3. You get a clear plan and a price before any work starts. You’ll know what they found, what they recommend, and what it costs. No surprise charges after the fact.
4. Removal. Trapping and, where it makes sense, tamper-resistant bait stations placed where kids and pets can’t reach them. The method depends on your home, your family, and what you’re dealing with.
5. Sealing the entry points. Gaps get closed with materials rodents can’t chew through, like steel mesh, metal flashing, hardware cloth, and sealants made for the job. This is the step that stops the problem from coming back.
6. Follow-up. Return visits to check traps, remove any rodents caught, and make sure activity has stopped.

Rodent control services in Minneapolis

Every rodent problem is a little different. A mouse in a Longfellow bungalow isn’t the same job as rats under a garage in North Minneapolis or a mouse issue in a downtown restaurant. Here’s what we help with:

Problems Minneapolis homeowners deal with (and how we fix them)

We hear the same worries over and over. If you’re stressed about mice in the house, you’re not alone, and none of these problems are as bad as they feel at midnight.

Commercial rodent control in Minneapolis

If you run a business, a rodent problem isn’t just gross. It can cost you an inspection, a bad review, or a whole pallet of product. We connect Minneapolis businesses with technicians who understand that.

Most commercial clients do best on a recurring program instead of one-off visits. Regular checks catch activity early, and the service records help you stay inspection-ready year round.

Why rodents are such a problem in Minneapolis

Minneapolis has a few things working against it when it comes to mice and rats.

The winters. When temperatures drop in October and November, mice move indoors in a hurry. Basements, attached garages, and wall voids next to the furnace are warm, dry, and full of food. That’s why calls jump every fall.

The housing. A big share of Minneapolis homes were built before 1950. Older stone and block foundations, settled sill plates, gaps around old utility lines, and drafty basement windows all give rodents easy ways in. Freeze-thaw cycles open new cracks every winter.

Alleys and garages. Norway rats love the alley setup common in neighborhoods across the city: detached garages, compost bins, bird feeders, and trash and recycling carts in a row. They’ll burrow under garage slabs and along fence lines.

Water and green space. The Mississippi, Minnehaha Creek, the chain of lakes, and all the park land give rodents shelter and food close to homes.

None of this means your home is doomed. It just means rodent control here works best when it’s built around how Minneapolis houses are actually built.

Mice vs. rats: which one do you have?

It matters, because they’re handled differently.

House mice are small, gray-brown, and about 3 to 4 inches long without the tail. They live inside, nest in walls and cabinets, and travel short distances from the nest. Deer mice have a white belly and feet, tend to show up more in garages, cabins, and homes near woods or fields, and are the main carrier of hantavirus in Minnesota.

Norway rats are the common rat in Minneapolis. They’re much bigger, often 7 to 10 inches without the tail, with a blunt nose and small ears. They burrow outside, along foundations, under slabs and decks, and come inside looking for food. Droppings, burrows, and the size of the gnaw marks usually tell the story.

If you’re not sure, that’s fine. Identifying the animal is part of the inspection. Learn more on our mouse exterminator and rat exterminator pages.

Do-it-yourself vs. calling a pro

We’re not going to pretend nobody can catch a mouse alone. If you see one mouse, set a few snap traps along the wall where you saw it, and never see another sign, you might be fine.

Here’s when DIY usually stops working:

• You keep catching mice, week after week.
• You hear noise in the walls or ceiling.
• You’re finding droppings in more than one room.
• You think it’s rats, not mice.
• You’ve got a smell you can’t track down.
• It happens again every fall.

At that point the problem isn’t the mice you can see. It’s the way in. A trained tech knows where Minneapolis homes usually leak, like the sill plate, garage door corners, dryer vents, A/C line sets, and gaps behind siding, and has the materials to close them properly.

What does rodent control cost in Minneapolis?

Every home is different, so the honest answer is “it depends on what they find.” But here are rough ranges so you’re not going in blind:

• A basic mouse treatment for a typical home is often in the low hundreds.
• Rat jobs usually cost more because of burrows, larger entry points, and more follow-up.
• Exclusion work depends on how many gaps there are and how hard they are to reach.
• Attic cleanup and insulation replacement are the biggest-ticket items.

You’ll always get the price before work starts. For more detail, see the full rodent control cost guide.

How to choose a rodent control company

Whether you call us or someone else, here’s what to look for:

• A real inspection. If a company quotes over the phone without looking, be careful. They can’t seal what they haven’t found.
• Exclusion, not just bait. A plan that’s only poison or only traps will need to be repeated. Ask how they’ll stop new rodents from getting in.
• A license. Pest control applicators in Minnesota should be licensed through the Minnesota Department of Agriculture. Don’t be shy about asking.
• A clear price. You should know the cost of the inspection, treatment, follow-ups, and sealing before anything starts.
• Follow-up visits. One visit almost never finishes the job. Make sure return trips are part of the plan.
• Straight answers. If they won’t explain what they’re doing and why, keep looking.

Areas we serve around Minneapolis

Besides Minneapolis itself, from Northeast to Longfellow and from Downtown to Southwest, we connect homes and businesses across the Twin Cities with local rodent control:

Rodent control FAQs

Who do I call to get rid of mice?

Call a licensed pest control company that does rodent work specifically, not just general bug spraying. You want someone who will inspect the house, remove the mice, and seal the entry points. That’s exactly what happens when you call the number on this page. You’ll be connected with a local technician serving Minneapolis.

How much does pest control cost for mice or rats?

For a typical Minneapolis home, a mouse job often runs somewhere in the low hundreds, while rat jobs and larger exclusion projects cost more. Attic cleanup with insulation replacement is the most expensive. The final price depends on the size of the home, how bad it is, and how many entry points need sealing. You’ll get a quote before work begins.

How common are mice in homes in Minnesota?

Very common, especially from fall through early spring. Cold weather pushes mice indoors looking for warmth and food, and older homes with stone or block foundations give them plenty of ways in. Having mice doesn’t mean your house is dirty. It means there’s a gap they found.

What do exterminators do for mice?

A good exterminator inspects the home inside and out, finds where mice are getting in and where they’re nesting, sets traps and/or tamper-resistant bait stations, seals entry points with chew-proof materials, and comes back to check results. Some also clean up droppings and contaminated insulation.

Do rats come back after extermination?

They can if the entry points and outside conditions aren’t fixed. Rats that live outdoors will keep testing your house. Sealing gaps, fixing burrows near the foundation, and cutting off food sources like open compost or spilled bird seed are what keep them from coming back.

What time of year are rats and mice most active?

Rodents are active all year, but in Minneapolis the indoor problems spike from September through November as temperatures drop. Rats also become more noticeable in spring and summer when they’re active outdoors around garages, gardens, and alleys.

How many rats do you have if you see one?

Usually more than one. Rats live in groups, and the one you see is often a lower-ranking rat forced out to look for food, sometimes in daylight. Seeing a rat during the day can be a sign of a larger population nearby.

Is it okay to live with mice in your house?

It’s not a good idea. Mice contaminate food and surfaces with urine and droppings, can spread disease, chew wiring that creates a fire risk, and damage insulation. They also multiply quickly, so a small problem gets bigger the longer you wait.

What is the most effective rodent control?

The most effective approach combines removal with exclusion. Traps or bait handle the rodents already inside, and sealing the entry points keeps new ones from replacing them. Ultrasonic devices and repellent sprays don’t have strong evidence behind them.

What company is best for rodent control, and how do I choose one?

The best company is the one that inspects before quoting, includes exclusion in the plan, is licensed in Minnesota, gives you a clear price up front, and schedules follow-up visits. Ask how they’ll stop rodents from getting back in. If the answer is just “more bait,” keep looking.

Norvane Rodent Control is a free referral service. Calls are connected to independent, licensed pest control providers serving the Twin Cities. We do not perform pest control services ourselves. Learn more.