Category: Rodents

Mouse Control in New Braunfels, TX Hearing something in the walls? Call 830-777-CAMO (2266) for a mouse inspection. Mice are the most common rodent we deal with in New Braunfels homes, and they are also the easiest to underestimate. One mouse in the pantry feels like a small problem. It rarely is. By the time most homeowners notice droppings or hear scratching, there is already a population living in the wall voids, the attic, or under the kitchen cabinets. At Camo Pest Control, we remove mice and then seal the gaps they used to get in. Trapping alone solves this week. Sealing solves it for good. Mice Mice may be small, but they can cause serious problems once they enter your home or business. From contaminating food and spreading bacteria to chewing through insulation and electrical wiring, mice create health risks and costly damage if not addressed quickly. At Camo Pest Control, we provide professional mice control and removal services designed to eliminate active infestations and prevent mice from returning. If you’re noticing droppings, scratching sounds in walls or ceilings, or signs of gnawing, it’s important to act fast. Mice reproduce rapidly, and even a small issue can turn into a widespread infestation. Our experienced technicians identify where mice are nesting, how they’re entering your property, and what conditions may be attracting them. Is It Mice or Rats? Knowing which one you have changes the treatment. Here is how to tell them apart quickly.   Mice Rats Droppings Size of a grain of rice, pointed ends Size of a raisin, blunt ends Sound Light, fast scratching, often high in the walls Heavier scrambling and thumping, usually in the attic Entry gap As small as a dime Roughly the size of a quarter or larger Where they nest Wall voids, cabinets, insulation, stored boxes Attics, crawl spaces, under slabs and sheds Behavior Curious, will investigate new objects Cautious, avoid anything unfamiliar for days That last difference matters more than people expect. Mice will walk into a trap the day you set it. Rats will not, which is why the same approach does not work for both. If what you are describing sounds more like rats, we cover rat and roof rat control separately. How Mice Get Into Central Texas Homes A house mouse can squeeze through a gap the size of a dime. If you can fit a pencil into an opening, a mouse can get through it. On homes around New Braunfels, Seguin, San Marcos, Canyon Lake, and the surrounding Hill Country, these are the openings we find most often: Weep holes in brick. Standard on nearly every home in the area, and a direct route into the wall cavity unless they are screened. Garage door corners. The bottom corners of a garage door almost never seal flush. This is one of the most common entry points we find, and the garage is usually where an infestation starts. Utility and plumbing penetrations. Anywhere a pipe, gas line, or electrical conduit enters the home, there is a gap around it. Builders foam these, and rodents chew straight through foam. AC line entries. The refrigerant line set entering the exterior wall is frequently left with an open gap behind the escutcheon plate. Gaps under exterior doors. Worn or missing door sweeps leave a quarter inch of clearance, which is more than enough. Attic and soffit vents. Damaged or unscreened vents give access straight into the attic insulation. New construction is not exempt from this. Homes in Schertz, Cibolo, and the newer New Braunfels developments get mice for a different reason: grading and building disturb the fields and brush where rodents already lived, and those rodents move into the nearest shelter. A brand new home with unsealed penetrations is an easy target. Signs You Have Mice Most people call us after noticing one of these: Droppings. Small, dark, rice-shaped pellets, usually along walls, in the backs of cabinets, in pantries, under sinks, or in the garage. Fresh droppings are dark and soft. Older ones are gray and crumble. Scratching or scurrying at night. Mice are most active after dark. The sound is light and quick, often inside walls or above ceilings. Gnaw marks. Small, clean chew marks on food packaging, cardboard boxes, baseboards, or the corners of stored items. Shredded nesting material. Insulation, paper, fabric, or cardboard pulled apart and gathered in an enclosed space. A musky odor. Persistent mouse activity in a confined area like a pantry or closet leaves a distinct smell. Pet behavior. Dogs and cats fixating on a wall, cabinet, or appliance they normally ignore is often the earliest sign. Areas We Serve Looking for dependable pest control near you? Camo Pest Control serves homes and businesses across New Braunfels and nearby cities with fast response times and customized treatment plans. View the areas we currently serve below, and contact us if you don’t see your location listed. New Braunfels Canyon Lake Garden Ridge Gruene Buda Bulverde Cibolo Kyle La Vernia Spring Branch McQueeney San Antonio San Marcos Schertz Seguin Frequently Asked Questions How do I know if I have mice or rats? The fastest tell is the droppings. Mouse droppings are about the size of a grain of rice with pointed ends. Rat droppings are closer to the size of a raisin with blunt ends. Mice also make lighter, faster scratching sounds, usually inside walls, while rats make heavier noises in the attic. Our technicians confirm the species during the inspection. How many mice is considered an infestation? There is no fixed number, but seeing a single mouse during daylight usually indicates an established population, because mice are nocturnal and a daytime sighting often means the nesting area is crowded. Ongoing droppings in more than one room is another strong indicator. Can mice get into a brand new house? Yes, and it happens regularly in newer neighborhoods around Schertz, Cibolo, and New Braunfels. Construction displaces rodents from the surrounding fields and brush, and new homes frequently have

Rat Control in New Braunfels, TX Heavy scratching in the attic? Call 830-777-CAMO (2266) for a rat inspection. Rats are a different problem than mice, and they need a different approach. They are larger, more destructive, considerably more cautious, and in Central Texas they usually come in through the roof rather than the ground floor. At Camo Pest Control, we identify which species you are dealing with, remove the active population, and seal the entry points so the next one cannot follow. Trapping without sealing is a temporary fix on a problem that does not stay fixed. Rats Rats are more than just a nuisance—they can cause serious damage to your property and create health risks for your family or customers. Rats are known for chewing through insulation, wood, and electrical wiring, increasing the risk of fires and costly repairs. At Camo Pest Control, we provide professional rat control and removal services designed to eliminate active rat infestations and prevent future problems. If you’ve noticed scratching sounds in the attic or walls, droppings, or signs of gnawing, it’s important to act quickly. Rats reproduce fast, and infestations can grow out of control if left untreated. Our experienced technicians respond promptly, identify where rats are nesting and entering your property, and implement effective control strategies tailored to your situation. Roof Rats vs Norway Rats in Central Texas Most rat problems around New Braunfels involve roof rats. Knowing which species is in your home changes where we look and how we treat.   Roof Rat Norway Rat Also called Black rat, palm rat Brown rat, sewer rat Size Slimmer, 6 to 8 inch body, tail longer than body Heavier, 7 to 10 inch body, tail shorter than body Where they nest High. Attics, soffits, palm trees, fence lines, utility lines Low. Burrows, under slabs, sheds, driveways, woodpiles How they enter Roof line, soffit gaps, attic vents, overhanging tree limbs Foundation gaps, crawl space vents, broken sewer lines Droppings Roughly half an inch, pointed ends Roughly three quarters of an inch, blunt ends Common in Central Texas Yes, the dominant species Less common, usually near drainage or older infrastructure Roof rats are excellent climbers. A tree limb touching the roof, a fence running to the eave, or a utility line into the house is a highway. That is why we start rat inspections at the roof line rather than the foundation. If the sounds you are hearing are lighter and higher in the walls rather than heavy overhead, you may be dealing with mice instead. We cover mouse control separately here. How Rats Get Into Central Texas Homes A rat can get through a gap roughly the size of a quarter, and can widen a smaller one by chewing. On homes around New Braunfels, Seguin, Buda, and Schertz, these are the openings we find most often: Roof line and fascia gaps. Where the roof decking meets the fascia board there is often a gap, especially on older homes or after storm damage. Soffit vents and attic vents. Damaged, unscreened, or loose vents give direct attic access. Overhanging tree limbs. Any branch within a few feet of the roof is a bridge. This is the most common contributing factor we find on roof rat jobs. Utility line entries. Where power, cable, or AC lines enter the structure, the gap around the penetration is rarely sealed properly. Chimney and flue openings. Uncapped or damaged chimney caps. Foundation and crawl space gaps. More typical of Norway rats, including broken or unscreened crawl space vents. Garage door corners. The bottom corners rarely seal flush, and the garage is a common staging area before rats move into the main structure. Signs You Have Rats Heavy noises overhead at night. Rats are noticeably louder than mice. Homeowners describe scrambling, running, and thumping in the attic or ceiling, usually shortly after dark. Droppings. Dark, capsule shaped, roughly half an inch long. Commonly found in the attic, along beams, in the garage, or near stored food. Greasy rub marks. Rats follow the same routes repeatedly and their fur leaves dark smudges along beams, baseboards, pipes, and entry holes. This is one of the more reliable signs a technician looks for. Gnawed wiring or wood. Chew damage on electrical wiring, PVC, wood framing, or stored items. Burrows or dug holes. Norway rats leave two to four inch openings near foundations, sheds, driveways, or under concrete. Damaged insulation. Tunneling and nesting in attic insulation, often visible as flattened trails or displaced material. Areas We Serve Looking for dependable pest control near you? Camo Pest Control serves homes and businesses across New Braunfels and nearby cities with fast response times and customized treatment plans. View the areas we currently serve below, and contact us if you don’t see your location listed. New Braunfels Canyon Lake Garden Ridge Gruene Buda Bulverde Cibolo Kyle La Vernia Spring Branch McQueeney San Antonio San Marco Schertz Seguin Frequently Asked Questions How do I know if I have roof rats or Norway rats? Location is the fastest indicator. Roof rats nest high, so noises in the attic and ceiling and droppings along beams point to roof rats. Norway rats nest low, so burrows near the foundation, shed, or driveway point to them. Roof rats are the more common species in Central Texas. Our technicians confirm the species during inspection. How do rats get into the attic? Most commonly through roof line gaps, damaged or unscreened soffit and attic vents, and gaps around utility line penetrations. Overhanging tree limbs are the most frequent contributing factor, because roof rats climb well and a branch near the roof gives them direct access. Will rats leave on their own? No. Once rats have established shelter, food, and water in a structure, they stay and continue breeding. Attic activity in particular tends to increase rather than resolve, because the space is undisturbed and insulated. How long does rat removal take? Rat jobs generally take longer than mouse jobs because rats avoid new objects