To get rid of rats in El Paso, work through five steps in order: figure out which rat you have, trap it where it travels, seal the openings it uses, clean up what it left, and change the yard so new rats have less reason to come. Skip the sealing and the house refills. Skip the cleanup and you live with the droppings and smell.
Here is each step, with the El Paso details that matter.
Step 1: Figure out which rat
El Paso has three animals people call rats. Roof rats climb and live high in attics and rafters. Norway rats live low, burrowing near foundations. Woodrats, or pack rats, are native desert rats that build stick-and-cactus nests in yards, sheds and garages.
Look at where the activity is and what it leaves. Noise overhead and grease marks along beams point to roof rats. Burrows along a wall point to Norway rats. A pile of sticks and cactus pieces points to a woodrat. Our desert rodents article has more detail.
Step 2: Trap along the runways
Rats use the same routes every night, mostly along walls, beams and pipes. Traps placed on those routes work. Traps in the open do not.
- Use rat-size snap traps. The CDC recommends snap traps and advises against glue and live traps, because frightened rodents urinate and raise the risk of illness.
- Set them in a T against the wall, with the trigger end touching the wall.
- Bait with a small amount of peanut butter, which the CDC lists as a good choice.
- Put several traps along each active route, not one.
- Outside or near kids and pets, use traps inside locked stations.
- Check traps every day and remove catches right away.
Rats can be wary of new objects. If catches are slow, leave traps unset and baited for a few nights first, then set them.
Step 3: Seal the openings
Extension wildlife guidance says rats can get through openings larger than about half an inch. In El Paso homes, check the roof edges and soffits, vents, the openings around a rooftop evaporative cooler and its lines, gaps around pipes and wires, garage door seals and stucco cracks at the slab.
Close them with chew-proof material. The CDC lists lath screen, lath metal, cement, hardware cloth and metal sheeting for larger holes. Extension guidance specifies 19-gauge hardware cloth with half-inch mesh for rats. Foam alone gets chewed out.
Step 4: Clean up safely
Once catches stop, clean up droppings, urine and nests. The CDC method is the standard.
- Open doors and windows for 30 minutes before you start, and leave the space while it airs out.
- Wear rubber or plastic gloves.
- Spray droppings and nests with a fresh bleach solution, 1.5 cups of bleach per gallon of water, or a disinfectant, and let it soak 5 minutes.
- Wipe up with paper towels, bag the waste, seal it in a second bag and put it in a covered trash can.
- Never sweep or vacuum droppings.
Heavy attic contamination may mean removing insulation. See our attic cleanup page.
Step 5: Fix the yard
Rats need food and cover. Take both away.
- Pick up fallen fruit and keep pet food and bird seed in metal cans.
- Use thick plastic or metal garbage cans with tight lids, as the CDC recommends.
- Trim tree limbs back from the roof.
- Move woodpiles and stored materials away from the house and off the ground. The CDC suggests 100 feet and one foot up.
- Clear junk and brush along block walls.
If a neighboring property is full of trash or weeds, you can report it through El Paso 311. Our reporting guide explains how.
Mistakes that slow things down
Setting one trap in the middle of the floor, using glue boards, spreading poison inside the house, sealing holes before trapping, and stopping after the first catch all make rat problems last longer. So does ignoring the yard. Fix the routes, the food and the cover together.
When to call a professional
Call for help if you hear rats in the attic or walls, find droppings in several rooms, see chewed wiring, or keep catching rats after two weeks. A licensed provider can find entry points you cannot reach, trap safely, seal with the right materials and clean up heavy messes. The CDC treats an infestation as gone when no rodents are caught for a week and no new signs appear.
Frequently asked questions
What is the fastest way to get rid of rats?
Trap along active runways with several rat-size snap traps while sealing entry points. Speed comes from good placement and closing the way in.
Does rat poison work?
It kills rats, but they may die inside walls and ceilings, and bait can reach pets and wildlife. Texas follows EPA rules that keep the strongest baits from retail buyers.
How big a hole can a rat use?
Extension guidance says openings over about half an inch.
How long does it take to get rid of rats?
Often one to three weeks with good trapping and sealing. The CDC suggests keeping traps out at least 15 days and calling it done after a week with no catches or new signs.
What attracts rats to an El Paso yard?
Water, shade, fallen fruit, pet food, bird seed, open garbage and cover like junk piles and brush along walls.
Sources
- CDC: How to trap up to remove rodents
- CDC: How to seal up to prevent rodents
- CDC: How to clean up after rodents
- Wildlife Damage Management, eXtension: Rodent exclusion methods
- Texas Tech University, Mammals of Texas: Black rat